Question

question 1 of 20
read the following excerpt from the great gatsby.

and so it happened that on a warm windy evening i drove
over to east egg to see two old friends whom i scarcely
knew at all.

which literary device does this passage best exemplify?

a. sarcasm

b. paradox

c. repetition

d. understatement

Explanation:

The phrase "two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all" presents a contradiction: "old friends" implies a close, long - standing relationship, yet "scarcely knew at all" contradicts that. A paradox is a statement that seems self - contradictory but may reveal a truth, which matches this situation. Sarcasm involves mocking or ironic remarks, repetition is the repeated use of words or phrases, and understatement downplays something, none of which fit as well as paradox here.

Answer:

B. Paradox