The Irony of Reva’s “Desire for class”
The narrator explains, “Ironically, [Reva's] desire to be classy had always been the de classe thorn in her side. 'Studied grace is not grace,' I once tried to explain. 'Charm is not a hairstyle. You either have it or you don’t. The more you try to be fashionable, the tackier you’ll look.' Nothing hurt Reva more than effortless beauty like mine.” It is ironic that Reva desires something which she does not fully comprehend. She thinks that external markers create social class. Ultimately, her efforts undermine her, making her appear as a try-hard.
The Irony of the Narrator and Trevor’s First Break-up
The narrator explains, “He broke up with me the first time freshman year because I was 'too young and immature. I can’t be the one to help you grow out of your abandonment issues,' he explained. 'It’s too much of a responsibility. You deserve someone who can really support your emotional development.'" Trevor’s reasons for the break-up are ironic, for he is also deeply immature. In fact, it is implied that Trevor dates the much younger narrator because he cannot emotionally keep up with women his own age.
Reva's concern for the narrator's well-being
Reva is an ironic character due to her obsession with self-help culture. She is constantly consuming media aimed toward helping professional women with their lives and mental health. She passes this advice along to the narrator, though the narrator completely shrugs it off. Reva’s consumption of self-help culture aimed towards women is ironic because she is able to twist it to do whatever she wants: “She was an expert at conflating canned advice with any excuse for drinking to oblivion.” says the narrator. Reva is actively bulimic and is having a painful affair with her boss - her life is also a total mess.
A year's sleep is healing
The entire plot of the book is ironic because the narrator does the exact opposite of anything that could typically be considered healing. While those around her strive for love and professional success, she enters into a deeply anti-social cycle of drug use and oblivion. However, her strategy works.
