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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 34
Explanation and Analysis—The Impartial World:
Even after his desertion and reunion with Catherine, Henry cannot help but feel cynical about life. He points out the paradox of the world eliminating everyone eventually:
If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.
Here, the novel highlights the paradox of life, where the world does not discriminate between the good and the bad, the brave and the cowardly. The world kills everyone eventually, regardless of moral standing. The brave are killed because they can only be broken through death. Those who are not brave are killed anyways, illustrating Henry's belief about the pointlessness of war. Henry expects the world to kill the weak and reward the strong, as per Darwin’s theory of natural selection, but the paradox lies in this theory’s falsehood. Henry has witnessed men both brave and cowardly fall at the hands of war. Little does he know that the world's next victim is Catherine, the very woman he holds in his arms.
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