Saboteur

The irony in Ha Jin's "Saboteur" is that Mr. Chiu accuses the police of Muji of being saboteurs, when he is actually the true saboteur.

Thrasher points out another of the stories ironies in her discussion. She highlights the irony of the intellectual

people of this time being portreyed as weak while in society they are usually seen as the opposite. Meaning historically leaders and powerful figures are usually those who are intellegent, and philisophical, and also educated; but those who are in power, much like the officer who Ha Jin descirbes as, "tall and of athletic build," are the opposite. Ha Jin is pointing out the irony of more subtle events like this one throughout the story in order to keep the reader from focusing on the obvious irony of the story.

Clearly the obvious irony in "Saboteur" is that Mr. Chui is critical of those, like the police, who concentrate on destroying society and its order. Ha Jin is able to show that society, however, is more like the police officers than Mr. Chui. For instance, the witnesses who make testamonies against Mr. Chui are a depiction of society as a whole. They are willing to lie in order to conform to what the government and the authorities promote. Basically, Mr. Chui is portrayed as a good and trusting character. One who is better than those who have imprisioned him. The irony in this is when Ha Jin reveals Mr. Chui's true character as a saboteur.

By infecting the population of Muji with hepatitis in order to revenge his imprisoners Mr. Chui is truly

the saboteur. Like the officers who Mr. Chui despises he too is willing to destroy the lives of others in order to benefit himself. Therefore, the irony of Ha Jin's "Saboteur" is that he who is willing to accuse another of sabotage, like Mr. Chui, is also a saboteur.