Love
Naturally, in a novel called 19 Love Songs, love is one of its most important themes. Each story in the collection examines love from a number of different perspectives, from familial love to self-love, and from platonic love to romantic love. Some people think of love only in the romantic sense; however, the collection shows that love can take many forms for different people. Love is diverse, and love is unique. For example, the short story "Boy Witch" examines a young man's love for the theater. He spent much of his love life searching for something to do with his time; he found that with the theater.
Each story, but especially "The Quarterback and the Cheerleader" and "The Quarterback," also explores how love changes over time. "The Quarterback and the Cheerleader" examines the start of the two characters (the male cheerleader and the female quarterback) relationship. It shows how the two navigate the discrimination they face because of the gender roles in their relationship. "The Quarterback," which takes place after "The Quarterback and the Cheerleader," shows how their love has changed over time as a result of their interactions with each other and societal expectations (among many other things).
Communication
Communication, or often the lack thereof, is an important theme in each story within 19 Love Songs. All healthy relationships—whether romantic or platonic—are successful only when there is solid communication between both parties. No matter the kind of person, communication plays a critical role in the characters’ experiences of love and relationships. For instance, in "The Hold," the characters have difficulty articulating their feelings to each other, making their relationship more difficult. In each of the stories within the collection, Levithan illuminates how open communication can lead to stronger connections and deeper love. However, he also shows that poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and can challenge relationships no matter how strong they are otherwise.
