I have researched each term repeatedly and have a simple understanding of the meaning of each term, however, I am still not comfortable with my answers. Are the following sentences either paradox, parallelism, oxymoron, or juxtaposition.
1. "She liked to be with people, but her lifestyle tore her away from them."
2. “Today was the day that Whitman students both dreaded and anticipated with glee.”
3. "The marvelously anarchic institution of childhood..."
4. “Somewhere along the way to losing leisure and dismissing summer, this country lost childhood, too.”
My Answers:
1. Juxtaposition
2. Juxtaposition
3. Oxymoron
4. Oxymoron
To determine whether the sentences use paradox, parallelism, oxymoron, or juxtaposition, it's important to understand the meaning of each of these terms and how they are used in literature.
1. "She liked to be with people, but her lifestyle tore her away from them."
In this sentence, there is a contrast between the woman's desire to be with people and her lifestyle preventing her from doing so. This contrast creates a sense of irony or contradiction, which is known as juxtaposition. Therefore, your answer of juxtaposition is correct.
2. “Today was the day that Whitman students both dreaded and anticipated with glee.”
In this sentence, there is a juxtaposition of emotions. The students simultaneously dread and anticipate the day, creating a contrast. Therefore, your answer of juxtaposition is correct.
3. "The marvelously anarchic institution of childhood..."
In this sentence, the words "marvelously anarchic" create an interesting contrast. "Marvelously" suggests something positive, while "anarchic" implies chaos or disorder. This combination of contradictory terms is an example of an oxymoron. Therefore, your answer of oxymoron is correct.
4. “Somewhere along the way to losing leisure and dismissing summer, this country lost childhood, too.”
In this sentence, there is a parallelism between the phrases "losing leisure and dismissing summer" and "losing childhood." The structure of the sentence repeats the pattern of losing something, emphasizing the connection between leisure/summer and childhood. Therefore, your answer of parallelism is correct.
In conclusion, your answers are correct for each sentence. Keep in mind that understanding the definitions and usage of these literary devices will help you in correctly identifying them in future examples.