Impact of Narrative Style on Empathy †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Impact of Narrative Style on Empathy. Answer: Introduction: 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 shes 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 management. As her sister Evans tries to set her up with a new man, a depressed Zoe clearly refuses to meet anyone, claiming I think, Im 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. 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 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 management, and wit and sarcasm have been used profusely even in the most grave parts of the story (Ohberg and Paul 2017). For exampl e, 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 management. 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 Zoes 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 Zoes well-being than her physical cancer. The repet itive 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. 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 Zoes existence becomes insignificant, as she struggles to make sense of her identity and establish connections, hopelessly in a foreign land. 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. hberg, A. and Paul, K., 2017. The How or the What: the Impact of Narrative Style on Empathy.