Question

What is the meaning of this oxymoron? Helen kept her eyes wide shut as she read the telegram informing her of her husband's tragic fate while climbing the rocky peak. A. Helen did not want to face the sad news she received. B. Tears blocked Helen's eyes as she tried to read. C. Helen pressed her eyelids in a tightly closed position. D. Helen's eyes were wide when open and wide shut when closed.

Answer 1

The meaning of the oxymoron in the above sentence is:

A. Helen did not want to face the sad news she received.

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two words which contradict each other occur in a line. The purpose of using this literary device is to dramatize the situation. They add wittiness and symbolism in the sentence.

In the above sentence, the word 'wide' and 'shut' are the examples of Oxymoron words. After listening to the tragic news, Helen's reaction to her husband's death has been described with the use of oxymoronic words. tomorrow