"Why make something disposable, like a building, when you can make something that lasts forever, like a greeting card?"

     At the beginning of (500) Days of Summer, the audience learns that Tom originally studied architecture in college and happens to be quite talented at it. We first see his passion in a quaint sketch of a skyline placed in the corner of his office desk. After Summer asks about it, he grabs a scrap piece of paper and starts another drawing for a moment before getting frustrated, crumpling up the page, and throwing it away. This hints that he is shy about not only going after his dream, but being himself. Just like he wants to work for an architecting company, he wants to open up to Summer, and even more so for her to open up to him.

     As the film goes on, we see Tom become more comfortable with sketching. He draws a "tattoo" on Summer's arm, shown above, and is later spotted reading a book entitled Architecture of Happiness. His interest is starting to grow clearer, and it is shown through his bolder drawings that he believes Summer is right; he should chase after his dream. He is also becoming more comfortable around her.

     After Summer drops the title of "best friend" on Tom, he goes from being very connected to her to always drawing in his notebook, reading about architectural design, or even designing an intricate work of chalk buildings on his bedroom wall. Thanks to Summer, he finds his way back into sketching and eventually is able to leave the greeting card company and apply for a job within his field of expertise. Tom no longer is afraid of himself, either. He is finally comfortable being alone, and although he doesn't seem completely mended at his last meeting with Summer at the bench in the park, the audience knows that he will be.