Symptoms of Being Human

Riley’s perception of themself is distorted both by their gender dysphoria and anxiety. The novel depicts this experience through Riley’s encounters with their reflection, particularly in heightened emotional states. After Riley writes their second blog post recounting the first time they realized they were different, they look at themself through their phone camera’s selfie mode, noting that the external image of the cracked phone screen and their internal emotional state do not match. Later on in the novel, when the anonymous sender reveals they know Riley’s real name, Riley punches through their bathroom mirror, once again viewing themself through a distorted reflection.

This distortion theme also extends to Riley’s relationships with other people. Even when Riley is looking at Derek Yu’s picture on their phone, the screen is cracked, displaying Riley’s belief that they are at fault for Derek’s betrayal.

Throughout the novel, characters turn to media from the past for comfort, stress relief, and inspiration. Riley frequently listens to music on a record player, and often wears band T-shirts from the 1970’s and 80’s. Their affinity for older music is also one of the few ways Riley bonds with their father, modifying an old Ramones shirt of his to better fit their frame, and helping him pick a new song for his campaign.