If He Had Been with Me

Throughout high school, Autumn wears tiaras as part of her daily school attire. For Autumn, these tiaras symbolize her independence; freshman year is the first in which her mother has promised to allow her to dress the way she wants. For her friends, the tiaras become a symbol of rebellion because Autumn continues to wear them despite the laughter and odd looks from her classmates. As the novel continues, the tiaras become a symbol of Autumn’s quirkiness, which is encouraged not only by her friends, but by Finny and his mother as they gift her more tiaras.

After high school is over and Autumn breaks up with Jamie, she stops wearing the tiaras. In this way, it appears that the tiaras were partly a gimmick, a prop that Autumn used to stand out and make herself feel important. With high school over, her friend group splintered, and her friendship with Finny rekindled, Autumn no longer needs this gimmick to feel accepted.

Finny and Autumn’s homes are next door to each other. Their placement allows Autumn to keep tabs on Finny even when they no longer have a relationship. Both teens feel comfortable going in and out of each other’s homes as though both homes are their own.