Music lists and radio charts
The imagery of preference and lists is a dominant imagery in the story. Through these visual metaphors, the reader sees that Rob believes people are like songs to be enjoyed and consumed. Then, he ranks his experience of them like a critic. His criticism is selfish and capricious, though, and secretly, he only judges women this way because he suffers a self-esteem issue that makes him feel chronically unworthy of love. He ranks people lowly because he feels like he ranks low. He is projecting.
Sexuality and intimacy
The book suggests that there are complex problems contained in sexuality. On the surface, Rob seems well "connected" because he has sex with lots of women, and because he tends to be kind of promiscuous in other ways too. The imagery makes the reader ask this question: Okay, he is very sexually active, but where is the intimacy? He doesn't have emotional connections with many of his partners, partially because he is scared of being hurt again.
Loneliness
The abstract qualities of Rob's experience of daily life help the reader see an undeniable imagery of loneliness. Rob sees things in a lonely way. He sees himself against the world and often ruins opportunities to be social because of paranoia and frustration. He isolates himself by behaving badly. When he is in a healthy relationship, he cheats on her, isolating himself emotionally by connecting with the wrong person. He is in an emotional, spiritual dilemma that needs resolved.
Family and death
The issue of family is presented in the novel through the issue of death. Laura's father is one of the only people who ever saw through Rob's low self-esteem and respected him anyway. He sees the worth in Rob, though Rob doesn't see the worth in others. He especially doesn't see the worth in himself. When Laura's father dies, it makes him want to marry Laura, to live with her, because the death felt familial to him as well. He sees that he needs a love that is deeper and more substantial than just sexual approval. He needs a love that will survive the ravages of life and death.
