Paradoxes
Though the novel makes it clear that paradoxes are impossible, many of the events of Daniel's life are an endless loop with no beginning or end. His Uncle Jim gives him the Timebelt, which Daniel in turn passes on to himself as a teen when he becomes old enough to play the role of Uncle Jim. The Timebelt's origins are unknown. Also, the fact that an older version of Danny and a female version of him have a child together ensures that Danny is essentially his own parents; the child is identical and becomes Danny, living Danny's life while Danny, in turn, adopts the surrogate role of Uncle Jim.
Read more about this topic: The Man Who Folded Himself
Famous quotes containing the word paradoxes:
“The paradoxes of today are the prejudices of tomorrow, since the most benighted and the most deplorable prejudices have had their moment of novelty when fashion lent them its fragile grace.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“Though your views are in straight antagonism to theirs, assume an identity of sentiment, assume that you are saying precisely that which all think, and in the flow of wit and love roll out your paradoxes in solid column, with not the infirmity of a doubt.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The way of paradoxes is the way of truth. To test Reality we must see it on the tight-rope. When the Verities become acrobats we can judge them.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)