“you’re Ugly, Too” by Lorrie Moore - Thesis Paper

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Zoe thoughts regarding man were not genuine either. As narrator describe “She had to learn not to be afraid of a man, the way, in your childhood, you learned not to be afraid of an earthworm or a bug”. Her past history with man was not pleasant, so she adopts new approach towards man and chooses to “nod, blush, turn away”. Prime example of her reaction to the world and man especially is when Zoe is trying to engage in conversation with Earl, who wants to talk about love and relationships. Hendricks, however, dismisses him by replying with lies, dubious allusions, proceeding with long “love” story, where famous violinist deprived of true love one day came home and shot a bullet through her head.

Zoe not only disregards man as partners, but she thinks they are better off scared and inadequate. When Zoe thought the conversation with Earl was going nowhere, she decided to do what she thinks, she does best, is to be superior. “Zoe came up, slow, from behind, and gave him a shove. His arms slipped forward, off the railing, out over the street. Beer spilled out of his bottle, raining twenty stories down to the street”. It was so unexpected, this action startled Earl, he was terrified. No person in the right mind should be able to think of this move but Zoe did.

Zoe Hendricks is egocentric, self-centered, ignorant, self-observed woman. Her self-protection went too far. Instead of being kind, nurturing, caring woman, she became total and complete opposite, to the point of being danger to others especially man who are not capable to satisfy her unknown, even to her, desire. She wants to be loved and understood, but she does nothing to achieve it. She chooses life in ignorance that that is why she is isolated into her own world. She does not want to sacrifice any of her time and she is not willing to let her heart be vulnerable. Zoe Hendricks is a misfit within community of attentive people; therefore she is better off left along.