"You're Ugly, Too" by Lorrie Moore

While reading “You’re Ugly, Too,” a short story by Lorrie Moore, one is introduced to the main character of the story, Zoë Hendricks. Throughout the story, Moore brings out Zoë’s personality through her eccentric behaviors and perception of certain situations. She is truly an odd character, and in the end, I believe her eccentricities end up making her a sympathetic character. Her interactions with others oftentimes go downhill because of a comment she makes or something she does that is unintentionally rude or inappropriate. In the story, she pushes Earl, a man she met at her sister’s party, as he is leaning on the edge of a balcony. While he does not fall and is alright, the whole action quite frankly freaks him out and he does not understand what is wrong with Zoë. However, even though she did apologize, Zoë does not really understand what is wrong with her actions; rather, “she smiled at him, and wondered how she looked,” (Moore, 370). Because she misunderstands everyday situations and how to act, she becomes a sympathetic character. Readers feel sorry for her that she has not found love and that her students dislike her, both of which are caused by her odd behavior. Furthermore, after Zoë’s sister announces to her that she is getting married, Zoë begins to tell a story to her sister about two people who fell in love, but in the end, one committed suicide. While she chooses not to finish the story, the idea that Zoë would first think to talk to her sister about a suicide after her engagement announcement shows a little more of Zoë’s eccentricities. The audience feels pity towards her that she does not understand love, furthering her role as a sympathetic character.