Which statement is an example of a paradox?

Question

A. His sister Is awfully pretty.

B. You have to be cruel to be kind.

C. The elephants name is tiny

D. it was dark and dim in the doorway

Answer 1

A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory on the surface but, upon closer inspection, actually rings true. The answer is B. At first thought, being cruel is never kind, but if you think more deeply about it you realize that it can be true. How? Tough love is a perfect example. Parents sometimes have to be strict and/or mean (cruel) in order to teach their children right from wrong (kind).

A is an oxymoron. Awfully pretty are contradictory terms.

C is verbal irony. You wouldn't expect something so large to be called tiny.

D is alliteration. Dark, dim, and doorway all start with the same sound.