Contradiction for a Reason

This lesson addresses the writing concept of literary paradoxes. A literary paradox is a statement that contains ideas that seem contradictory and uses that contradiction to convey a message. The lesson spans two class periods. On the first day, students will learn what literary paradoxes are, encounter examples of them, see how writers use the concept, and consider their impact on writing. On the second day, students will review key ideas about literary paradoxes, create their own works containing literary paradoxes, and reflect on the significance of using literary paradoxes in their written pieces. At the end of the lesson sequence, students answer an exit question about the importance of literary paradoxes to strong writing. The lesson's objectives are: students will understand the concept of literary paradoxes; students will understand why literary paradoxes are important tools for strong writing; and students will be able to use literary paradoxes in their writing and reflect on the significance of doing so.