You're Ugly Too

"You're Ugly Too" by Lorrie Moore

"'Are you seeing anyone?' said Evan...'I'm seeing my house'" (Moore, 357).

Zoe's humor and the effects of irony characterize her as a sarcastic and guarded person. Zoe's sarcastic jokes and responses to other characters make her humorous. Zoe puts her sarcasm and humor as a front in order to avoid being any lonelier than she already is. Living in a town without any family or close relationships makes her need to subsidize by being an individual that claims to not be bothered by being alone. Although she puts up the front, he search for love is nothing but disappointing. The irony of it comes in her want and need for control of what she can. She wants the control in all aspects of her life yet lets loose of control for meeting Earl and shuts him down. Although Earl seems to be open to Zoe, he is also hiding behind his costume of the naked woman most likely to demean women. Furthermore, both Zoe and Earl and quick to speak about their past in a way that makes them less desirable. Overall, Zoe's humor and wit are her front and guard against relationships.