Rob makes mixtapes as a way to communicate with people. They are symbols of his struggles to communicate in a traditional manner and of his need to add a layer of abstraction to his personal relationships. Because Rob cannot express his emotions using his own words, he uses the lyrics of pop songs to tell people how he feels. He makes a mixtape for Laura when they first begin dating, and he offers to make one for Caroline when he becomes romantically interested in her. These mixtapes are symbolic gestures, representing a desire to communicate with other people and an inability to do so in any meaningful way.

Rob depends on mixtapes to communicate, but he relies on the rest of the world to speak his language. The irony of Rob’s mixtapes is that the only people who would understand the true depth of his message are those he would not see as potential romantic partners. Rob could make a tape for Barry or Dick, as these men are trapped in the same kind of conundrum. Conversely, Laura does not appreciate the time and effort Rob puts into the mixtapes.