Themes In Uglies By Scott Westerfeld

This is Tally’s world. A world where everyone is promised to turn pretty at sixteen. Before that they live ugly, anguished lives. Oddly, this promise is broken for Tally, leaving her threatened to remain an Ugly forever. Scott Westerfeld’s science fiction novel, Uglies, opens in Uglyville, a place where all Uglies live waiting to turn into a Pretty on their sixteenth birthday. Tally, an ordinary Ugly, happens to be one of those who has been waiting to be Pretty her whole life. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen. A friend of hers, Shay, doesn’t like the idea of turning Pretty, so therefore runs away, leaving Tally to be interrogated. Tally is forced to choose a promise to keep, to remain ugly for ever, or to go after Shay and turn her in. One theme this novel suggests is that the promises an individual chooses to keep will define his or her identity.

In the beginning of the novel, Tally, makes a promise that shows that she cares mostly about herself. Tally’s sixteenth birthday has arrived, but

PerIs, Tally’s life-long friend, wants Tally to become pretty. He wants them to be together, just as they always are. Trust is always shared between Peris and Tally, all Peris wants is for that to continue. In this scene, he says, “‘You’ll keep your promise, Tally? ” (122). Also, The text states “She’d made that promise to Peris, just as real, before she’d even met Shay. She’d known him for years, and Shay for only a few months” (122). This quote is important because it portrays the preference that Tally chooses. Peris over Shay. She choses to keep Peris’ promise simply because he is her life-long friend. He has been for years. Not only has Tally been longing to turn pretty her whole life, but she also yearned to be with Peris. This shows that Tally admires Peris and will choose to be with him even if it costs the betrayal of Shay. As a result, favoritism influences Tally to keep her