Cost

The narrative stakes, structure and language of "Break It Down," are all inspired by the narrator's attempts to estimate the monetary and emotional cost of his affair with his lover. At the start of the short story, he is determined to create distance between himself and the affair by breaking down the entire experience into a series of itemized expenses. The author illustrates his attempt at detachment through the use of the third person point of view. This perspective then shifts to the first person, as the protagonist begins listing the costs of the ticket, the hotel, the food, and the drinks. Despite his efforts to remain in control, he soon realizes that these monetary calculations are an insufficient way of weighing what his time with the lover has meant. He tries convincing himself that though he expended a great deal of money over their 10 days...