Just a few comments

I think that the narrator in The Girl who was Plugged In gives the story a very interesting, witty twist. From the very beginning, the narrator is extremely sarcastic about the whole situation with P. Burke and the events of the future. The word “future” is even capitalized a few times to exaggerate the fact that anything can happen. For instance, when P. Burke is taken away to begin the training to control Delphi, the narrator says, “You were warned, this is the FUTURE.” This story could have been told completely different to sympathize with P. Burke’s unfortunate ugliness and then shed an almost heroic light on the fact that she finally finds happiness in being beautiful…but the narrator’s tone does not allow that. Even though I did sympathize with P. Burke at the end, I thought that the hostile tone throughout the story made everything more complicated and interesting.
Also, the theme of advertising is very ironic in the story. Public advertisement is outlawed through billboards and television and other media, and the corporations rely on the “gods” or celebrities to promote certain products. This is also the main purpose of Delphi, who is only fifteen. It almost seems like Tiptree is trying to make a reference to the fact that young, beautiful girls can sell anything in our society simply by having it in their possession. The narrator even states, “What do gods do? Well, everything beautiful. But remember, the main point is Things.”