Character Analysis
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Joy is the uber-love interest in the novel. (Linda gets second place, and Susie gets third.) It's love at first sight (2.56). Joy is one of Socrates' former students, and a peaceful warrior herself. She shows up unpredictably throughout the book—even Socrates calls her a mystery—and soothes Dan with kindness about the difficulties of his training.
Later on, she takes charge of his athletic training, particularly his running. However, toward the end of the book, Socrates decides Dan's path is not yet ready for Joy, and uses his magic hands to make him forget her (6.165). After that, living his mediocre life away from Socrates and teaching college, Dan meets a student named Joyce—uh, derrr, who could that be—but can't follow up with her much since he's still married and hasn't found unreasonable happiness yet.
But once he passes through the gate (see Symbols, Imagery, Allegory) and finds that unreasonable happiness, he gets to marry Joy at the book's conclusion. (They've pretty much figured out they were once connected at that point, too.)
So, her role is more than just CEO of Love Interest, Inc. She signifies happiness itself—just look at her name! At one point in the book Dan sees her and says he literally jumps for Joy… which has to be one of the most groan-inducing puns we or you have ever come across. So now you know all about Joy, and can jump for Joy too.