Paradox
A paradox is a statement or concept that appears self-contradictory but often reveals a deeper truth upon closer examination. This literary device is frequently employed by writers to provoke thought and encourage readers to reconsider their perspectives. Notable authors like Lewis Carroll and George Orwell utilized paradoxes to convey complex themes and societal critiques. For instance, Carroll's whimsical characters often engage in illogical reasoning, while Orwell's works, such as *Animal Farm* and *1984*, illustrate the absurdities of totalitarian regimes through paradoxical statements about equality and governance.
Paradoxes can also be found in everyday expressions, such as "less is more" and "the beginning of the end," inviting exploration of their nuanced meanings. In poetry, paradoxes create layers of meaning, as seen in the works of Anne Bradstreet and Emily Dickinson, who challenge conventional ideas about love and sanity. Overall, paradoxes serve as a powerful tool for enhancing literary depth and stimulating intellectual engagement, making them an integral part of both classic and contemporary literature.
Paradox
A paradox is something that appears to contradict itself. As a literary device, it is often used to emphasize a point or make the reader consider an idea in a new way. Writers create paradoxes in many ways.
Overview
Writers use paradoxes to impart more profound meaning to their words. This depth engages the reader, who may ponder new ideas and uncover subtle but essential information in the complexity of thought. Lewis Carroll frequently created paradoxical situations and humorous phrasings in his Alice stories. A brilliant mathematician, he also wrote logic books and created puzzling paradoxes. For example, in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), the Cheshire Cat declares that he is mad. He then uses faulty logic to prove his point. Such frustrations plague young Alice throughout her Wonderland encounters. While Carroll's social commentary in these fantasy stories is not apparent, other authors have employed paradox to explicitly criticize society and government.
In Animal Farm (1945) by George Orwell, a paradoxical statement imparts a chilling truth about governance. Though all the animals in the novel are said to be equal, some are described as being more equal than others. The government in the story does not treat all animals equally, and it never has.
Orwell created many paradoxical terms and situations in 1984 (1949). In the novel, a totalitarian government seeks to control even the thoughts of citizens, outlawing any ideas that run contrary to its goals. New words created by the government are meant to eradicate rebellious thoughts by eliminating terms related to them. This "Newspeak" prevents people from discussing such ideas and strictly controls the meanings of words. Doublethink describes the ability to accept and believe such paradoxical ideas.
Newspeak words include goodthink and crimethink. Several examples of Newspeak have since become common in English usage. The paradoxical word unperson, for example, is included in many modern English dictionaries. The term describes a person who has not simply been executed—they have been erased from memory and record, rendered nonexistent through denial. Orwell's authoritarian paradoxes include government offices, such as the Ministry of Love, which oversees torture, and the Ministry of Peace, which perpetuates the country's state of eternal war. This ongoing concern with outside enemies paradoxically ensures peace within the country itself, because the citizens are more fearful of imaginary external threats than they are of social conditions and government control. The totalitarian government of 1984 presents itself in propaganda as Big Brother, a figure who is always vigilant and ominously omniscient.
Many famous paradoxical expressions have their roots in classic literature. William Shakespeare's Hamlet (1623) says, "I must be cruel to be kind," referring to his desire to kill his mother's new husband to avenge his father's death. Killing his stepfather will both hurt his mother and free her from marriage to a murderer.
At first glance, the expression "It is better to give than to receive" seems to present a paradox. Receiving a gift is perceived to be pleasurable, so how can giving something away be better? Yet, upon further thought, the reader understands the deeper meaning of the statement. A good person enjoys the happiness of others. Rather than covet a gift, the giver experiences the pleasure of the recipient's joy and gratitude. The paradox in the expression invites the reader to explore the idea through their unique experiences and see the deeper meaning of giving and receiving. Similarly, the reader may understand the expression "less is more" as an endorsement of simplicity. Other common phrases that express paradoxes include "the beginning of the end," "silence speaks volumes," "moderation in all things," and "spend more to save more."
Paradox in Poetry
Poetry in particular relies on layers of meaning. When poets develop paradoxes, they create internal pressure that prompts the reader to find logic in seemingly illogical expressions.
Anne Bradstreet (1612–1672) in "To My Dear and Loving Husband" wrote, "Then while we live, in love let's so persever / That when we live no more, we may live ever." The idea of living no more so one might live ever might seem contradictory, but the poem expresses the hope that the speaker and her beloved will live forever as husband and wife in the afterlife.
Poet Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) wrote, "Much Madness is divinest Sense." Her paradox suggests that people regarded as insane may be more sensible than those accepted by society and that people who are considered sane may be mad. Dickinson is commenting on how society treats nonconformists.
Thomas Gray (1716–1771), in "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College," says, "No more; where ignorance is bliss, / 'Tis folly to be wise." In this poem, Gray ponders his own experiences as a student at the school and the joys of youth. Midway through the poem, however, he begins recounting the disappointments and dangers of adulthood and the frailty of old age that awaits the blissfully naive young students. The poet suggests that the carefree days of childhood are to be envied. The reader may similarly ponder events that seemed idyllic yet proved to be less so over time.
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