bener, 1990). The women, like the men, assess their personal qualities by comparing themselves to those with whom they associate. Therefore, the women must perceive themselves as more attractive than Dilbert, whom they do not view as a desirable mate.Despite the overt actions of his co-workers, Dilbert is unaware of their disdain for him. His obliviousness works as a defense mechanism that protects his self-esteem from the rejection of others. Dilbert's reaction is also important because it maintains the humorous tone of the comic. If he broke down in tears no one would be laughing. Moreover, if a woman were the subject of the cartoon, the strip would be construed as cruel rather than humorous. There seems to be a double standard that makes it more acceptable for unattractive males to be the subject of personal ridicule. Calling a woman ugly conflicts with norms associated with feminine sensitivity whereas males are seen as unemotional and therefore should be able to disregard such criticism.The last frame of the comic recognizes gender roles surrounding the issue of marriage. The woman's comment, "We drew straws; I have to marry you," conveys the impression that it is a woman's job to domesticate the male. Marriage is seen as the necessary means to end the horror that the "ugly single male" inflicts on society. She is the "maiden sacrifice" who tames his socially unacceptable condition for the good of all. The comic suggests that it is better for a woman to marry an undesirable Dilbert than to remain unwed. This is consistent with evolutionary theory, which dictates that the need to continue the species supersedes all others. When procreation cannot take place under optimal circumstances, one resorts to the sparse resources that are available.Although this comic deals with serious social issues, the comedic structure is maintained through the use of schema violation. The first frame obviously attempts to establish the mental construct...
