"You're Ugly Too" by Lorrie Moore: Zoe's Humor

       In the short story, "You're Ugly Too" by Lorrie Moore, Zoe's humor drives her personality.  Her humor is very sarcastic and cynical.  As the speaker and main character, she narrates the story.  Zoe's student evaluations describe that she does not care and this is shown through her humor.  When talking to a student, the student says, " 'I just want my history major to mean something,' " Zoe retorts, " 'Well there's your problem,' " (Moore, 355).  Her sarcastic humor relates to her feeling towards love.  Zoe pushing Earl also shows her sarcastic, cynical humor.  Earl does not find this funny, but on the contrary Zoe does.  Zoe finds humor in herself especially her current relationship status, when she says sarcastically, " 'I'm seeing my house,' "  (Moore, 357) and " 'I'm not married? Oh, my God... I forgot to get married,' " (Moore, 355).  In these instances Zoe is portrayed as sarcastic and cynical, through her humor.