Which literary device is often used to create humor?

Irony is a literary device that is frequently employed to create humor. It involves a contrast between expectation and reality, often leading to situations where the outcome is contrary to what one might anticipate. This discrepancy can evoke laughter or amusement, as it highlights the absurdity or unexpected nature of events. For instance, situational irony can arise when a character's plan backfires in a comically unexpected way, making the situation humorous.

While imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing are valuable literary devices, they serve different purposes. Imagery enhances sensory experience and paints vivid pictures in the reader's mind, symbolism conveys deeper meanings through objects or actions, and foreshadowing hints at future events in a narrative. None of these devices inherently generate humor in the same way that irony, with its potential for unexpected twists and contrasts, is able to do.