Irony of affluence
Doris hopes for a glamorous life that entails wealth, fame, and lavish living like the elites she encounters. Her perception of this glitzy lifestyle is distorted, for she believes it only entails superficial appearance. The first attempt at fitting in is her stealing the fur coat as it represents the lavish life she yearns for. Ironically, she fails to comprehend that success is beyond the physical appearance or glamorous life it involves other aspects.
Irony of emancipation
Doris represents a woman that rejects the gender roles and social constraints of a patriarchal society. She discards her previous life that involved working at positions set aside for women during the turn of the 20th century. Ironically, her decision to reject these constraints only leads her into the same traps that enable the patriarchal oppression. She seeks validation and self-worth through satisfying men’s base instincts. Furthermore, rather than emancipate and work for herself she chooses to rely on others for sustenance.
The irony of work ethic
Through her transition into the fickle lifestyle, Doris held a stable job that required day to day dedication. Nonetheless, she loses the job and this trend is observed through her many occupations that she quits or is fired from. For an individual that yearns for a glamorous career, she does not display any work ethic even in the field itself. Though she has a cinematic eye for the world around her she does not translate her abilities to any tangible fruition.
Irony of prostitution
During her quest to achieve her dream as a cinema actress Doris engages in multiple sexual escapades. In the process of these escapades, she falls in love several times while benefiting from the money and luxuries she receives. However, as she goes through good fortune and also poverty the line between prostitution and promiscuity blurs. Ironically she denies that her sexual activities are borderline prostitution even though they become her only means for sustenance.
Irony of love
Even though Doris changes sexual partners several times, she is still portrayed as a hopeless romantic. In that, she falls in love with some of the men including some who are in relationships or marriages. She prides herself on her abilities to seduce and manipulate men to give her the things she desires. Ironically, she finds herself falling in love with them and ends up a victim of this romance.
