Comment on theme

Chase’s amnesia allows the novel to explore identity in an unusual manner. When Chase wakes up in the hospital in the first chapter, he has absolutely no idea who he is. The complete loss of identity leaves him in a unique position—he must discover who he once was, at the same time he must decide who he wants to be. As Principal Fitzwallace tells Chase: “This is an awful thing that’s happened to you, but it’s also presenting you with a rare opportunity. You have the chance to rebuild yourself from the ground up, to make a completely fresh start” (27). Because Chase finds that he does not like the person he used to be, he is able to decide to “restart” and build himself all over again, this time taking more care to be empathetic, kind, and considerate, which are all things that his first identity lacked entirely.