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You is filled with references to literature and pop culture. Joe uses these references as symbolic engagements with a world he does not quite understand. Without friends or family members, Joe is cut off from most of the world. He has no social engagement beyond his coworkers. Books, television, and films provide him with a form of social engagement he does not get elsewhere. Joe’s frequent references to literature and pop culture are symbolic attempts to engage with the world. These attempts function in both directions: He references books and films to connect with people, hoping that they will appreciate his taste and preferences—but, at the same time, he judges others based on their ability to reference literature and pop culture, or through the type of literature they choose to read. Working in a bookstore, Joe fosters relationships with people based on what he sells them. He also judges them if they decide to buy a book he believes is unworthy. These references, judgments, and connections symbolize Joe’s struggles to form meaningful connections with the world around him. Since he cannot form actual connections, he relies on literature and pop culture to provide an artificial and temporary bond with other people.