Irony. Irony is a difference between appearance and reality. Irony of situation is an event that contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience of a literary work. As you read “Legend of the Feathered Serpent,” look for examples of ironic situations. Use a graphic organizer like the one shown to record and analyze your examples.

• History Connection. The Aztec civilization dates from about 1325, when the city of Tenochtitlan was founded on an island in Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. By building solid waterways and ground trails, the Aztecs soon spread their power and influence to the mainland and beyond the surrounding mountain ranges. The Aztecs were strong warriors with a superior military organization. As their territories expanded, the Aztecs flourished amid the riches gained through trade with neighbors. They built splendid temples and palaces; crafted fine and luxurious products of jade, turquoise, stone, and quartz; studied astrology; and recorded their history in poetry, song, dance, and pictographic writings. Some of their writings, called codices, still exist.
• The Aztecs believed in a number of gods. Quetzalcóatl, the god of life and learning, was one of the most important. Another god mentioned in this story, Xochipilli, was god of flowers and the arts.
• The Aztecs also practiced warfare and human sacrifice on a vast scale. For warriors, the ultimate honor was to be slain in battle or to volunteer for sacrifice in a major ritual.

Think about legends, promises, and prophecies. When you read or hear about something that is predicted to happen, do you usually think it will happen as outlined or do you expect something to go wrong that will cause it not to happen?