Light in August

by William Faulkner

Light in August: Paradox 1 key example

Definition of Paradox

A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel of truth or reason. Oscar Wilde's famous declaration that "Life is... read full definition
A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel of truth or reason. Oscar... read full definition
A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel... read full definition
Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis—Christmas's Resentment:

Paradoxically, Christmas feels the most intense resentment toward women who have done him no tangible harm. One example of this motif occurs in Chapter 11, when Christmas tries to break into Joanna's house for the second night in a row:

He went to the kitchen door. He expected that to be locked also. But he did not realise until he found that it was open, that he had wanted it to be. When he found that it was not locked it was like an insult. It was as though some enemy upon whom he had wreaked his utmost of violence and contumely stood, unscathed and unscarred, and contemplated him with a musing and insufferable contempt.