English Assignment: Literary Devices and Themes in 'You Are Ugly Too'

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of Lorrie Moore's short story, "You Are Ugly Too." It explores the central theme of isolation, examining how the protagonist, Zoe Hendricks, struggles to find meaningful connections and experiences existential crises. The essay delves into the narrative form, highlighting the use of a third-person perspective to maintain reliability and add a touch of humor and irony. It further discusses literary devices such as imagery and metaphor, illustrating how these elements contribute to the story's portrayal of Zoe's morbid existence and psychological pain. The analysis also addresses the use of irony and sarcasm, and how they underscore the protagonist's alienation and bitterness. The story's setting in Paris, Illinois, and the Midwest is examined as a microcosm where Zoe's identity and connections are challenged. The essay also makes references to the author's style and offers a comprehensive overview of the story's key elements, including a discussion of the title's significance.

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English Assignment
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Theme:
Just like most of the short stories of Lorrie Moore, You are Ugly Too portrays the life of
an alienated woman and her desperate efforts to find a companion to lead a meaningful life.
Thus, isolation is an integral theme here as well. In the story, Zoe Hendricks literally struggles to
carve out a meaningful existence in her life, as she lives alone in Paris, and barely is capable of
striking any connection with any man in her life- “Zoe had been out with three men since she’s
come to Hilldale Versailes”, and yet although they had asked her for coffee, they “soon became
tired and intermittent”. However, her confidence that she is superior to others also contributes to
the bitterness and isolation of her life.
Besides, mortality is also an important theme of the story. As her sister Evans tries to set
her up with a new man, a depressed Zoe clearly refuses to meet anyone, claiming “I think, I’m
too old for fun”. She keeps on referring to how she has a appointment with her doctor, in order to
undergo an ultrasound test for diagnosing “ a large, mysterious growth in her abdomen”. She
also says how she once bought a dog, and she was being told that either it had cancer or it was hit
by a car. Living in a desolate world, and experiencing existential crisis, the thoughts of imminent
death and illness seems to overshadow her happiness.
Narrative Form:
Although the reader can empathize with the desolate and alienated condition of the
protagonist, Zoe is never allowed to speak n her person, and narrate the story. This is because,
had she narrated the tale, she would have sounded less reliable a narrator, as she would tend to
justify her own perspective in the story. This is why, a third person narrative style has been

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adopted, as it helps in narrating the story reliably, though the story is told from the perspective of
Zoe only. The use of third person style helps in eliminating melodrama, and renders a humorous
and ironic touch to the story, as there remains a considerable distance between the reader and the
character. The entire story is being written in an easy, simple language, and the style is
reminiscent of Craver and Mason. However, there are cutting and sarcastic anecdotes throughout
the story, and wit and sarcasm have been used profusely even in the most grave parts of the story
(Ohberg and Paul 2017). For example, although right from the beginning, the story narrates the
existential crisis of its protagonist, who is unable to fit in the world of middle America, the very
first line “ You had to get out of them occasionally, those Illinois towns with the funny names:
Paris, Oblong, Normal”, that combines a painful reality with a comical absurdity (Moore 1989).
Even at the most serious moments, the readers are relieved by the use of wit and sarcasm. The
morbidity of her life is narrated with a subtle sense of irony and humour.
Literary Devices:
As far as the literary devices used in the story are concerned, the imagery is being used
here to explain the morbid existence of Zoe. As the story proceeds, the reader finds Zoe refer to
her possibility of having a Cancer, and most likely it is nothing more than her stomach problem
caused by stress and anxiety, this image of her suffering from a terminally ill disease creates a
sense of emptiness and desolation in the story. The author also employs the use of metaphor. For
example, once the narrator narrates how Earl is being dressed up as a naked woman, and this
metaphorically suggests Zoe’s constant feeling of unattractiveness (Baldick 2015). Again, Zoe
keeps on getting worried about her biopsy, which again is a metaphor used in the story. The
biopsy is used to diagnose if the tissue is cancerous or not, and this story enables Moore to
understand the psychological pain as experienced by Zoe, which is more detrimental to Zoe’s

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well-being than her physical cancer. The repetitive use of the image of cancer suggests a morbid
state of life, Zoe is destined to lead. There is also a prevalent use of irony and sarcasm here as
well.
Other Devices:
The title of the story has been derived from one of the favourite jokes of Zoe, where a
patient went to a doctor only to hear that he had 6 weeks to live, and on having asked a second
opinion, was being said “you are ugly too”. Though this does sound funny, the poignant note is
unmistakable here. Same thing goes with Zoe, the protagonist. Although she tries to make fun of
her life, and her unpleasant experiences of being jilted by lovers, have been narrated in a witty
way, a poignant feeling of alienation and bitterness is unmistakable. Her physical ugliness or her
psychological feel of superiority leave her deserted till the end. The story is set in Paris, Illinois,
and the Midwest with its conservative values represents an alien place, at large a macrocosm
where a character like Zoe’s existence becomes insignificant, as she struggles to make sense of
her identity and establish connections, hopelessly in a foreign land.

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Reference List:
Baldick, C., 2015. The Oxford dictionary of literary terms. OUP Oxford.
Moore, L., 1989. You're ugly, too. New Yorker, 3, pp.34-40.
Öhberg, A. and Paul, K., 2017. The How or the What: the Impact of Narrative Style on Empathy.