Dybiec Holm is a freelance writer and editor. In this essay, Dybiec Holm looks at the theme of sadness in "You're Ugly, Too," a theme whichMoore accentuates through use of cynical humor, nuanced observation of the human condition, and description.

Lorrie Moore, in talking about her short stories and novels, has admitted that her work has an underlying theme of sadness. Her narrative is often overlaid with tones of cynicism, one-liners, and wisecracks, which suggest sadness below the surface. Certainly, this appears to be the case in "You're Ugly, Too," an acclaimed short story fromMoore's collection Like Life. How, then, doesMoore keep a reader engaged? Sadness alone will not hold all readers. Part of the effectiveness ofMoore's writing lies with her detailed, nuanced observation about the human condition, via her characters and her descriptions.Moore's observations about the human psyche are fascinating. But it's the edgy interplay...