Uglies

“Shay’s eyes flashed. ‘Or maybe when they do the operation—when they grind and stretch your bones to the right shape, peel off your face and rub all your skin away, and stick plastic cheekbones so you look like everyone else—maybe after going through all that you just aren’t very interesting anymore.’”

Shay expresses her disinterest in the pretty surgery and critiques how pretties behave. She and Tally are frequently at odds as they grapple with their impending futures. This is one of the first times that the novel hints at the darkness underlying the utopian sheen of Westerfeld’s futuristic society. Shay also inadvertently foreshadows one of the key, secret aspects of the pretty surgery—the brain lesions—that will ultimately convince Tally to remain at the Smoke.

“Tally stepped onto her board and snapped her fingers. When she reached Shay’s eye level she said, ‘I’m coming. I said I would.’”

This is one example of Tally’s devotion to her promises and of her deep-running emotions. When Shay tries to lead her out to the Rusty Ruins at night, she is nervous, fretting about the consequences if they get caught. However, she made a promise to Shay, and her loyalty leads her to go anyway. Tally’s strong internal moral code is one of her most defining characteristics even when she behaves passively, creating a foundation for her future growth.

“But it’s a trick, Tally. You’ve only seen pretty faces your whole life. Your parents, your teachers, everyone over sixteen. But you weren’t born expecting that kind of beauty in everyone, all the time. You’re just programmed into thinking everyone else is ugly. It’s not programming, it’s just a natural reaction. And more important than that, it’s fair. In the old days it was all random—some people kind of pretty, most people ugly all their lives. Now everyone’s ugly…until they’re pretty. No losers.”

Shay and Tally once again debate the benefits or detriments of the pretty surgery, this time in an argument that causes a week-long rift between them. Shay highlights the authoritarian elements of pretty surgery, arguing that its effects brainwash people (in fact, this is literally the case, though Shay doesn’t know about the brain lesions at this point). Tally counters that the surgery protects people from appearance-based violence and discrimination. At this point in the novel, it is unclear who is right, as both teenagers make valid arguments. This underscores one of the ways that their society manipulates people: by presenting a logical argument using evidence of historical injustice.

“[…] Anyway, that’s for you. I’m not supposed to leave any record of where I’m going, so it’s in code, kind of.”

Shay provides the clues that lead Tally to the Smoke. Because the Specials learn about this note, it not only leads the Specials to Tally but also lays the foundation for the Smokies’ distrust of her upon her arrival.

“And our city can stand a great deal of freedom, Tally. It gives youngsters room to play tricks, to develop their creativity and independence. But occasionally bad things come from outside the city.”

Dr. Cable lays out the rationale behind the city’s restrictions as she lectures Tally. This moment foreshadows the measures that the city will go to in order to subjugate its populace under the guise of freedom and joy. By posing an “us versus them” mentality, she ropes Tally into her way of thinking, making the outside world seem more dangerous than it turns out to be.

“You can die ugly, for all I care.”

Tally faces her worst fear as Dr. Cable threatens to indefinitely suspend her pretty surgery. It shows both the depth of Tally’s moral code (because she still refuses to give in to Dr. Cable’s demands) and the power Special Circumstances has over the city’s populace.

“His eyes narrowed, and for a moment he looked like the old Peris: serious, thoughtful, even a little bit unhappy. ‘Tally, you made me a promise too.’”

A series of people arrive to manipulate Tally into agreeing with Special Circumstances and finding Smoke. Peris plays on Tally’s promises, reminding her of her split allegiances. His attractiveness, paired with their history of friendship, ultimately sways Tally to the Specials’ cause.

“She realized she’d never been naked outside before. In the city, everywhere outdoors was public, but she hadn’t seen another human face for days. The world seemed to belong to her. Even in the cool air the sun felt wonderful on her skin.”

This is one of the first times that Tally’s perspective starts to shift. She appreciates this moment alone in nature, taking in the scenery and feeling comfortable in her own skin now that she is away of the prying eyes of others. This sense of ease will continue to build as she reaches and integrates into Smoke, a symbol of her growth.

“One of the most beautiful plants in the world. But too successful. They turned into the ultimate weed. What we call a monoculture. They crowd out every other species, choke trees and grass, and nothing eats them except one species of hummingbird, which feeds on their nectar. But the hummingbirds nest in trees. […] So when the orchids eventually die out, victims of their own success, leaving a wasteland behind. Biological zero.”

The rangers’ explanation of the flowers underscores the importance of letting natural biological processes take place; intervening in those processes (as the pretty surgery does) can have unintended negative consequences. This acts as a warning against taking too much from nature, but it also shows Tally a part of the world she never had the context for.

“Tally sighed with relief. Of course, she hadn’t activated the pendant yet, so his device couldn’t detect it. The other bug was just Dr. Cable’s way of misleading the Smokies, getting them to drop their guard. Tally herself was the real danger.”

This marks the beginning of Tally’s negative self-talk and self-image surrounding her relationship with the Smokies. She feels consistent guilt and self-loathing, especially as she gets to know the Smokies more and becomes integrated into their lives. This moment foreshadows her (accidental) betrayal by describing her as the “real danger.”

“Then she saw the stumps at the edges of the settlement, and gasped. ‘Trees…,’ she whispered in horror. ‘You cut down trees.’”

Tally struggles to adjust to some of the negative parts of the Smoke, including their disruption of a natural habitat to make room for people. However, the longer she lives at the Smoke, the more she sees the symbiotic way that people and nature work together there.

“‘They aren’t freaks,’ Shay said. ‘The weird thing is, these are famous people.’”

Tally and Shay see pictures of old uglies who were accepted despite, or in some cases because of, their appearances. This alters Tally’s perception of the world as she adapts to the idea that being natural does not equate to being worthless.

“Here in the Smoke only five months, Shay’s friends already had a hint of David’s self-assurance. Somehow, they carried the authority of middle pretties without the firm jaw, the subtly lined eyes, or the elegant clothing. […] They seemed so serious, as if their lives were a really complicated trick that had to be planned and replanned every day.”

Tally notes the self-sufficiency present in the Smokies, reinforcing the importance of competency in a person’s self-image. Tally starts to undergo a similar change as she joins in work and building the community. This furthers her growth and maturity, enabling her to develop her own ideas and identity. It provides her with a new image of humanity and what people are capable of, which empowers her.

“[…] ‘It’s not just a trick to you, like it is to most runaways. Even Shay, who really believes the operation is wrong, doesn’t get how deadly serious the Smoke is. […] It’s dangerous out here. The cities are like these boulders. They may seem solid, but if you start messing with them, the whole pile could crumble.’”

David commends Tally, complimenting the seriousness with which she views the Smoke and its efforts. This also marks the beginning of Tally and David’s romance, another major component of Tally deciding to stay at the Smoke. He creates a metaphor, referring to the cities as boulders in a heap, to emphasize the instability of the dystopian society.

“If Tally activated the tracker, it wouldn’t just mean the end of Shay’s big adventure. It would be David’s home taken from him, his whole life stripped away. Tally felt the weight of the mountain pressing down upon her, and found she was still struggling to breathe as she pulled herself out into the sunlight.”

Tally grapples with guilt and the moral quandary of giving the Smoke up to the Specials. Considerations that she previously did not anticipate complicate her decision, such as the Smoke being a home rather than a rebel compound. Once she recognizes the Smoke as a legitimate community, Tally realizes that she can belong somewhere, increasing her confidence and desire to join the Smoke formally.

“‘It’s not the traveling that takes courage, Tally. I’ve done much longer trips on my own. It’s leaving home.’ He traced a line on her sore hand with a finger. ‘I can’t imagine having to walk away from the Smoke, from everything I’ve ever known, realizing I’ll probably never come back.’”

David’s compliments of Tally focus on her bravery for leaving everything that she knows. Without knowing about the coercion that shaped her decision, he views her positively.

“Tally remembered crossing the river to New Pretty Town, watching them have their endless fun. She and Peris used to boast they’d never wind up so idiotic, so shallow. But when she’d seen him… ‘Becoming pretty doesn’t just change the way you look,’ she said. ‘No,’ David said. ‘It changes the way you think.’”

The revelation about the pretty surgery forever alters Tally’s worldview. She compares her new knowledge with past interactions with pretties, realizing that shallowness and vapidity are results of the surgery itself. This showcases how secretive and insidious the cities truly are, hiding the nature of the surgery that they coerce their civilians into. The Smoke’s existence suddenly makes much more sense, as its motivations are freedom and individuality and extend beyond simple dislike or a difference of opinion.

“The pendant swung by its chain in her fist, sparkling red in the firelight. Tally focused all her doubts on it, all her fear of discovery, her terror at Dr. Cable’s threats. She clutched the pendant, squeezing the unyielding metal until her muscles ached, as if forcing into her own mind the almost unthinkable fact that she might really remain ugly for life. But somehow not ugly at all.”

After learning the nature of the lesions, Tally realizes that being pretty is not the end all and be all of life. She contextualizes her own appearance, realizing that she is not inherently unattractive. Instead, she is natural. Between David and her own increased competency, Tally becomes a more mature, active person, which ultimately (and ironically) causes the Smoke’s destruction.

“David lowered his voice. ‘Maybe they didn’t want you to realize that every civilization has its weakness. There’s always one thing we depend on. And if someone takes it away, all that’s left is some story in a history class.’”

David provides information to Tally that she previously didn’t have, including the factors that destroyed the Rusties. This leads her to contemplate the destruction of civilizations in general. David underscores the power of such knowledge, reinforcing that Tally’s city is, in many ways, just as weak as the Rusty civilization it tries to differentiate itself from. While the Smoke rebellion is small, it lays the groundwork for potential widespread revolution.

“They were so ready to help, just to make trouble, just to play a trick. At first, it killed me to hear you act like the Smoke still existed. But if there are enough uglies like them, maybe it will again.”

David and Tally have struggled to reach the city and to develop a plan to save the remaining members of the Smoke, causing increased tension between the two of them as the novel reaches its climax. In this moment, Westerfeld introduces new uglies who are similarly interested in playing tricks and defying the city. This foreshadows the rebuilding of the Smoke rebellion.

“Tally thought of the lesions on Shay’s brain, the tiny cancers or wounds or whatever they were, that she didn’t even know she had. They were in there somewhere, changing her friend’s thoughts, warping her feelings, gnawing at the roots of who she was. Making her forgive Tally.”

This private moment with Shay reinforces Tally’s guilt as she grapples with what has happened to her friend. Shay has lost her identity and the passions that defined her as a person, turning her into a much more pliable pretty. Tally knows that Shay’s forgiveness does not come from a genuine place, and Shay’s assurances that they are reconciled only distress Tally more.

“Shay laughed. ‘You must think I’m nuts. And even if those pills work, look what they’re supposed to do. From what I can tell, ‘cured’ means being a jealous, self-important, whiny little ugly-brain. It means thinking you’ve got all the answers.’ She crossed her arms. ‘In a lot of ways, you and Dr. Cable are alike. You’re both convinced you’ve personally got to change the world. Well, I don’t need that. And I don’t need those.’”

Shay’s absolute denial of the lesions’ existence and her rejection of Maddy’s cure showcase the lesions’ effectiveness. However, Maddy refuses to betray her commitment to personal choice and does not force to take the pills, creating tension as the Smokies struggle to find a solution. This continues to build the character versus society conflict as they realize it will be difficult to find a willing participant to try the pills, paving the way for Tally’s decision.

“Tally had imagined telling her secret to David so many times, rehearsing this speech to herself almost every night, that she could hardly believe this wasn’t just another nightmare in which the truth was forced from her. But as the reality of the moment sank in, she found the words spilling out in a torrent.”

As the novel reaches its emotional climax, Tally finally comes clean about her involvement in the Specials’ attack. This is the moment in which she finally achieves full agency and maturity, outlining her role in a terrible event and seeking to rectify her mistakes by becoming the test subject for the cure. She does this knowing that it will cause a rift between her and David.