This attitude of Irene's conveys two themes of the novel: Irene's ignorance, and the undercurrent of discontent in the 1920s. Brian is frustrated with the routine and monotony of his life, is dissillusioned about his race and, as we see eventually, sex. Irene overlooks this, misunderstanding the severity of Brian's feelings, and assumes that the issues he is facing can be lessened by the distraction of events that she deems worthy of "serious consideration" (59) but are simply more pettiness to Brian.