The irony of the play's characters
It is sardonic that there is no main character in this play. The viewer realizes the play has an inimitable structure because there is no phase introduction of the characters. Instead, the viewers are supposed to keenly follow the role of each character and construe their individuality.
The satire of the seventeenth-year celebration
The play is centered on the annual traditional celebration that takes place in the seventeenth year. The intended celebration should be about the dolls; ironically, this year's celebration has lost meaning because it rapidly turns to vestiges. Consequently, people forget about their traditions because they seem to no longer value their culture.
The irony of youthfulness
Most of the characters in this play are young people who are slowly coming of age and maturing. The youthful experience is exciting because the love of dolls symbolizes it. However, as the characters grow, they are slowly becoming adults and must embrace the new rules of the adult world. Satirically, the reader finds it ironic that the characters find it hard to grasp the drastic transition. The traditional doll celebration is intended to remind people of their youth, but they do not appreciate such traditions.
The irony of masculine and feminine roles
The concept of 'real men' and 'soft men' is evident throughout the play regarding job allocations. Those jobs that require more labor are assumed to be masculine, and those requiring less energy are considered feminine. Ironically, such task classification is the genesis of gender discrimination that denies women opportunities to explore their potential in the long run. Unfortunately, any man who cannot do hard labor is considered a woman, which is an abusive assumption.
The sarcasm of acquaintance and association
Roo, Barney, Nancy, and Olive are the four associates that the play is centered on. The four friends are very close from their childhood to maturity. The viewer notices that these friends share most of their secrets, and they walk as a team. Ironically, instead of giving each other positive moral support, they have set high expectations. The reality of becoming adults shocks them because each person moves at his pace towards achieving his own goals.
