Why We Broke Up Theme of Sadness

Regrets—Min has a few. Her sadness weaves its way through Why We Broke Up, taking the edge off sharper feelings like love and anger. The breakup box, the central device that structures the book (more on this over in the "Symbols" section), is itself an object imbued with deep nostalgia, filled as it is with relics of Min's relationship with Ed. As she goes through the objects within it one by one, we can't help but notice she's feeling blue. Stay strong, girl—breaking up is hard to do. Even when you're super confident it's the right choice.

1. Min feels a sense of closure at the prospect of leaving the breakup box on Ed's doorstep. Why?
2. Why does Min give back the stuff right away? We know she returns it several weeks after the breakup.
3. Imagine you're giving Min a pep talk. What would you say to cheer her up?

Why We Broke Up is best read as a tragedy—the end is a huge bummer.

Why We Broke Up is best read as a comedy—the whole point is that Min's moving on.