The Top Ten Non-Trash Moments of My Life — What Robinson does here

Phoebe Robinson’s essays in her book Everything’s Trash But It’s Okay has so much of her humor in it. However, her essay “The Top Ten Non-Trash Moments of My Life” is an effective buildup to her humor in the book so far. Primarily, when looking at the earlier chapter talking about the trashiest moments of her life, we know that the moments in this section are something she’s absolutely proud of. That pride in her actions is what amplifies the humor. We know there are trashy moments in Robinson’s life, but in this chapter, even if you were to think her moment is trashy, she’s telling you it’s not.

Robinson sets up a situation that is going to be funny. For example, when talking about approaching a creep at the pool, the story isn’t just about the pool. Robinson makes an effort to explain why she was there and add little details like using her credit card when she didn’t know if she could pay it. Seeing that, we wonder what the importance of that small detail is. However, when it comes to her approaching the creep and telling him off, it’s clear that nothing was going to stop her from enjoying herself on a fantastic trip. It’s the little details and world building that add a subtle sense of humor that eventually all connect to one another. An added bonus, of course, is the great title. “Boob Soup” is a unique name that does not give away the content, but makes sense after.