> " 'Oh,' said Hulga, 'I wouldn't be caught dead in anything but my old clothes. I wear them for protection.' "
This excerpt points to the irony of Joy's name because it reveals she is not joyful at all. She has chosen the name Hulga (a deliberately ugly name) as a symbol of her rejection of all things happy, wholesome, and optimistic. Her embrace of her "old clothes" for "protection" signifies her hardened cynicism and distrust of the world. This contrasts sharply with the meaning of "Joy," highlighting the deep internal conflict and disillusionment within her.