Themes and message

Breakups

One of the main themes of the short story “Jellyfish” by Catherine Smith is breakups. The story revolves around Kirsty’s feelings after her girlfriend Emily unexpectedly breaks up with her. 

A flashback reveals the moment when Emily confesses to Kirsty that she has been having an affair with a woman named Dana. Kirsty's emotions are presented as she describes feeling sick and miserable upon learning about the affair. This moment signifies the beginning of the end of their relationship and introduces the theme of heartbreak and the idea of betrayal, which later fuels Kirsty’s bitterness.

The following scenes of Kirsty packing Emily's belongings inspires a sense of nostalgia and remembrance of their shared past, as is common in breakups. The presence of objec...