Question

What is the role of irony in the poem?

• A. To lighten the mood
• B. To make fun of Aboriginal rituals
• C. To criticize the colonizers’ fake civility and claims of justice
• D. To praise the British

Answer 1

Answer:

C. To criticize the colonizers’ fake civility and claims of justice

Davis uses irony in lines like “You once smiled a friendly smile” to highlight the contrast between the colonizers' outward politeness and their brutal actions.