Question

review the passage. the paradox is shown in bold.
my dear lucy,
i wrote this story for you, but when i began it, i had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. as a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound, you will be older still. but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. you can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. i shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say, but i shall still be
your affectionate godfather,
c. s. lewis
from laurence harwood, c. s. lewis, my godfather: letters, photos and recollections. copyright 2007 by laurence harwood
what is the effect of the paradox on the passages meaning or tone?
it contributes to a regretful tone.
it suggests that with old age comes a new appreciation of fairy tales.
it implies that children do not truly understand fairy tales.

Explanation:

A paradox is a statement that seems self - contradictory but may hold truth. In this case, the idea that one is "old enough to start reading fairy tales again" is a paradox. Fairy tales are often associated with childhood. But as people age, they gain more life experience. This new perspective can lead to a different, perhaps deeper, appreciation of fairy tales. It doesn't imply a regretful tone (the writer is looking forward to Lucy's future reading) or that children don't understand (it's about a new kind of understanding with age).

Answer:

It suggests that with old age comes a new appreciation of fairy tales.