Throughout Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, the young characters are struggling to make sense of and process big emotions. Perhaps the most challenging emotion for the main character, Sal, is grief over the loss of his mother. Much of his character arc concerns Sal learning to acknowledge his grief in the first place. His journey depicts the complexity and confusion involved in coping with the pain of losing a loved one and The Importance of Dealing with Grief nonetheless.

Shortly after his mother’s death, Sal refused to process his grief whatsoever. Sal’s mother died when he was eight years old from diabetic ketoacidosis. Thus, in addition to this death inflicting the pain of losing a parent, it became a constant and ominous reminder to Sal of what can happen if he does not effectively manage his diabetes. Reeling, Sal channeled his energy into managing his father’s grief. While Sal failed to acknowledge his own emotional state, he was keenly aware of his father’s: “And Papi was so sad. So sad” (225). Sal liked his vice principal (Lucy), a kind widow who understood Sal’s loss, and Sal suspected his father (Gustavo) might also like her. To provide opportunities for Lucy and Gustavo to meet, Sal continually got into trouble.