Question
The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde
ALGERNON. What shall we do after dinner? Go to a theatre?
JACK. Oh no! I loathe listening.
ALGERNON. Well, let us go to the Club?
JACK. Oh, no! I hate talking.
ALGERNON. Well, we might trot round to the Empire at ten?
JACK. Oh, no! I can’t bear looking at things. It is so silly.
ALGERNON. Well, what shall we do?
JACK. Nothing!
ALGERNON. It is awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don’t mind hard work where there is no definite object of any kind.
Use the excerpt from “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde to answer the question.
Which part of the text is an example of literary paradox?
(1 point)
Responses
Algernon says he doesn't mind hard work when there is no "definite object," which would take away all rigor involved.
Algernon says he doesn't mind hard work when there is no "definite object," which would take away all rigor involved.
Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.
Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.
Jack says that he does not like listening or talking, even though he is doing both in his conversation with Algernon.
Jack says that he does not like listening or talking, even though he is doing both in his conversation with Algernon.
Jack believes that looking at things is "silly," even though it is necessary to do just to get around.
by Oscar Wilde
ALGERNON. What shall we do after dinner? Go to a theatre?
JACK. Oh no! I loathe listening.
ALGERNON. Well, let us go to the Club?
JACK. Oh, no! I hate talking.
ALGERNON. Well, we might trot round to the Empire at ten?
JACK. Oh, no! I can’t bear looking at things. It is so silly.
ALGERNON. Well, what shall we do?
JACK. Nothing!
ALGERNON. It is awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don’t mind hard work where there is no definite object of any kind.
Use the excerpt from “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde to answer the question.
Which part of the text is an example of literary paradox?
(1 point)
Responses
Algernon says he doesn't mind hard work when there is no "definite object," which would take away all rigor involved.
Algernon says he doesn't mind hard work when there is no "definite object," which would take away all rigor involved.
Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.
Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.
Jack says that he does not like listening or talking, even though he is doing both in his conversation with Algernon.
Jack says that he does not like listening or talking, even though he is doing both in his conversation with Algernon.
Jack believes that looking at things is "silly," even though it is necessary to do just to get around.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The example of literary paradox in the excerpt is:
**Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.**
This statement highlights the contradiction of describing a state of inactivity (doing nothing) as being laborious (hard work), which is inherently paradoxical.
**Algernon refers to doing nothing as "awfully hard work," when doing hard work involves doing something.**
This statement highlights the contradiction of describing a state of inactivity (doing nothing) as being laborious (hard work), which is inherently paradoxical.