Question

review the passage. the paradox is shown in bold.
i would have accepted without question the information that gatsby sprang from the swamps of louisiana or from the lower east side of new york. that was comprehensible. but young men didn’t—at least in my provincial experience i believed they didn’t—drift coolly out of nowhere and buy a palace on long island sound.
\anyhow, he gives large parties,\ said jordan, changing the subject with an urban distaste for the concrete. \and i like large parties. they’re so intimate. at small parties there isn’t any privacy.\
there was the boom of a bass drum, and the voice of the orchestra leader rang out suddenly above the echolalia of the garden.
from f. scott fitzgerald, the great gatsby. copyright 1925 by charles scribner’s sons
what is the effect of the paradox on the passage’s meaning or tone?
it implies that jordan actually prefers small parties over large ones.
it implies that it is easier to have close personal interactions at large parties.
it helps the reader understand why gatsby gives large parties.

Explanation:

A paradox is a statement that seems self - contradictory but may reveal a truth. In this case, the paradox “And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy” is analyzed. Option 1 is incorrect as Jordan clearly says she likes large parties. Option 3 is not supported as the paradox doesn't explain Gatsby's party - giving. Option 2 is correct because the paradox implies that in a large group (large party), one can have more intimate (close personal) interactions (as there is a sense of privacy in the crowd) compared to a small party where everyone is more closely observed.

Answer:

It implies that it is easier to have close personal interactions at large parties.