Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

In the final section of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, the theme of Breaking Toxic Relationship Cycles reaches its climax as Freddy finally finds the strength to end her unhealthy relationship with Laura. The catalyst for this decision comes from Freddy’s realization of the impact her relationship has had on her friendship with Doodle and her own personal growth. Laura’s manipulative behavior, exemplified by her attempt to guilt Freddy into missing Doodle’s appointment by fabricating an “emergency,” serves as a stark reminder of the toxic nature of their relationship. Guided by the advice of Anna Vice, who encourages Freddy to reflect on the nature of her love with Laura and prioritize her own happiness and well-being, Freddy takes the courageous step of breaking up with Laura. This action symbolizes Freddy’s commitment to breaking free from the toxic cycle that has dominated her life and to prioritizing her own growth and the relationships that truly matter to her.

Freddy’s journey toward Seeing Past Superficial Charm and External Validation reaches a turning point in this final section of the book. The stark contrast between Laura’s selfish and dismissive behavior and Doodle’s vulnerability and genuine need for support helps Freddy recognize the superficiality of her relationship with Laura. Through her conversations with Vi, who offers a more grounded perspective on relationships and personal growth, and her reflections on Anna Vice’s email, Freddy begins to understand that true love should be a source of happiness and personal development, not a drain on her emotional well-being. By choosing to prioritize her friendship with Doodle and her own self-respect over the fleeting validation she receives from Laura, Freddy demonstrates her growth in seeing past the superficial charm that once held her captive.

The theme of Discovering Agency and Self-Responsibility is prominently showcased in Freddy’s transformative journey. Freddy’s decision to accompany Doodle to her abortion appointment, despite the potential conflict with Laura’s birthday party, marks a significant step in Freddy taking responsibility for her actions and prioritizing her friendships. Although she initially falters when Laura manipulates her, Freddy ultimately finds the strength to assert her agency by breaking up with Laura and choosing to be a better friend and a more authentic version of herself. The final scenes at the prom, where Freddy celebrates her newfound independence and strengthened bond with Doodle, underscore her growth in discovering her own agency and taking responsibility for her happiness and personal development.

The motif of childhood toys plays a significant role in this final part of the book, particularly in the series of panels on Pages 222-23, where Doodle reveals her pregnancy to Freddy. In these panels, Doodle’s terse and simple language, each sentence presented in a separate speech balloon, is juxtaposed with images of her personal belongings. These items—a picture frame showing Doodle as a baby, keys, a toy keychain, a deck of cards with the Tower card facing up, books, and a small unicorn statue—evoke a sense of adolescence: a mix of childhood innocence and the growing concerns of adulthood. The keys signal Doodle’s increasing independence, while the Tower card in tarot symbolizes a massive transformation, often through the destruction of what is outdated and no longer working, making room for new beginnings. This juxtaposition of childhood objects with the gravity of Doodle’s situation highlights the challenging transition from adolescence to adulthood and the life-altering decisions that come with it.

The use of full-bleed artwork in this final part of the book, with images stretching across two full pages and bleeding into the edges, creates a powerful emotional and dramatic effect that highlights Freddy’s decision to choose friendship and self-validation. On Pages 248-249, the upper panel depicts a pink floral bedsheet, its pattern bleeding to the edges of the page, with Doodle’s hand resting on it in the upper corner. Below, a borderless image shows a close-up of Freddy’s head in a three-quarter view from behind as she watches over Doodle. This creates an intimate and emotionally-charged scene that emphasizes Doodle’s vulnerability as well as Freddy’s concern for her. Similarly, on Pages 254-255, against a stark black background, Freddy and Doodle embrace as Freddy comforts a tearful Doodle. The large size of the figures, the simple background, and the repetition of the figures in the same position from different angles allow the emotion of the moment to fill the page. The lack of speech balloons and the simple background create a silent space for the characters’ raw emotion. By showing the figures twice, from different angles, the panel shows both characters’ faces, focusing on the tears on Doodle’s face and the empathetic, heartfelt expression on Freddy’s face. Although the true climax of the book occurs later, when Freddy breaks up with Laura, these scenes with Doodle, featured in large, emotional images, carry great dramatic weight. They emphasize that the true heart of the story lies in friendship and Freddy’s journey to becoming a better friend, rather than in how she defines herself in relation to Laura.