Paradoxes are very effective in writing. They can prove popular opinion to be too simple to be relevant, highlight societal hypocrisy and injustice, and help create a complex fictional character. In this article, we explore the use of paradox to convey complex concepts and ridiculous phenomena and how you too can effectively apply them.

What is a Paradox?

A paradox is an expression that negates itself or is both true and false at the same time. The word comes from the Greek word "paradoxons," meaning contrary to expectation. A good example is this expression, "This statement is a lie." Here, if the statement is true, that makes it a lie, which means it’s not true. But if it’s not true, then it’s a lie, which means it's true.

Similarities Between a Paradox and Other Literary Devices

A paradox is similar to certain other literary terms, like antithesis and oxymoron. The difference is often in their functions.

An antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting ideas. The aim is to accentuate the contrast and emphasize the importance of an idea. An example of antithesis is the statement by Alexander Pope, "to err is human; to forgive, divine." Here, the pairing emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, and it isn't contradictory.

An oxymoron juxtaposes two words with opposite meanings. While a paradox is the opposition of ideas, an oxymoron contrasts two words. A good example is "bittersweet." Another example is the phrase "sweet sorrow" used by William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet.

Types of Paradox

All paradoxes can pose a labyrinth of meaning. But, based on whether you can resolve them, they come in two forms.

A logical paradox defies logic, and it may be unresolvable. These are quirks in reasoning that show how our thinking sometimes is confusing, even when we use a perfectly logical premise to reach such conclusions. A good example is the Ship of Theseus' argument. It questions whether a ship repaired over time by replacing each and all of its wooden parts, one at a time, would still be the same ship.

A literary paradox poses a contradiction that resolves to expose a deeper meaning behind it. For example, as Socrates famously said, "I know one thing, that I know nothing." This is a nugget of wisdom from the famous philosopher, which teaches us to question everything we think we know.

Examples of Paradox in Literature

Here are some examples of paradox in notable works of fiction:

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Halfway through a tea party, the March Hare asks Alice if she wanted to have more tea. "'I’ve had nothing yet,’ Alice replied in an offended tone, ‘so I can't take more.' ‘You mean you can’t take less,’ said the Hatter. ‘It's very easy to take more than nothing.’”

Ralph Waldo Ellison, The Invisible Man (1952). The protagonist got a leadership role in a radical anti-racism group called the Brotherhood. The position came with this paradoxical condition: “You will have freedom of action — and you will be under strict discipline to the committee.”

Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). Here, Cecily Cardew says, “To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.” The paradox suggests that posing is unnatural, but being natural is also a pose.

How To Use Paradox

You can use literary paradoxes in creative writing to build your main character. It can add nuance to the nature of the protagonist. In The Merchant of Vernice, Shakespeare presents Sherlock as a villain who is also a victim of anti-Semitism. And in Indiana Jones, we see a brave hero who is ophidiophobia.

To achieve this, you need to first observe paradoxes. Everyone is a paradox, but you can study notable historic figures like President Woodrow Wilson and Charlemagne. You can also read the Merchant of Vernice by William Shakespeare and Animal Farm by George Owen. This would help you master the art of creating paradoxical characters and scenarios.