Why do authors use paradoxes??

Question

why do authors use paradoxes what does it add to a story. Like i know similes compare to things and help give a better understanding... but what do paradoxes do for the book??? help!!!

Answer 1

To show that everything is not always what it seems, or that the expected outcome is not always what happens.

Answer 2

Many reasons.  To relate to the reader's or their own experience, to add a sense of understanding to a situation in the novel, to point out irony, or to set a tone for the novel.

For example, "Standing is more tiring than walking" could be seen as a paradoxical statement.  It's a seemingly contradictory statement that nonetheless may be true.  If someone uses this sentence in the right context w/in a novel, it can cause you to relate, "Omigosh, that's so true!" or help you understand the situation, "Poor guy, I know how he feels."  The writer could also be using a saracastic tone in the novel, pointing out how things in life just don't make sense (ie, this would be irony).