Structure

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing is structured as a collection of essays about the life of the author, Lauren Hough. The essays do not move linearly; instead, Hough frequently jumps to different points in her life between essays as well as within individual essays. This structure is significant because its shows that Hough is not interested in creating a full and cohesive story about her life as a memoir would. Instead, she highlights important moments and experiences in order to show readers how they affected her later in life. One of the primary themes of the book is the relationship between one's childhood upbringing and their adult life, and as such Hough uses a nonlinear structure to draw connections between the past and present. In "How to Make an Enemy," for example, Hough alternates between anecdotes about her adult relationships with women and anecdotes about growing up...