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Chapter 28: Shoshanna Weber
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Restart, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity, Memory, and Responsibility
Reputation vs. Reality
Masculinity
Social Hierarchies and Bullying
Loyalty
Summary
Analysis
The police arrest Chase, and he stays out of school until his appearance in juvenile court. While he waits, he stews about what everyone must think of the kid who stole from war hero Mr. Solway and bitterly regrets having wronged “the person [he] respect[s] more than anybody.” He thinks Mr. Solway will never want to interact with him again—and he wishes he didn’t have to interact with himself. Though Brendan, Shoshanna, Aaron, and Bear call Chase’s house, Tina won’t let them speak to Chase. Chase is fine with that. He can’t bear Shoshanna’s criticisms, and he doesn’t want Aaron and Bear’s thanks for taking all the blame, since as their former leader in crime he feels responsible. He thinks he might end up in juvenile detention and wonders whether he was a “delinquent” influence on Aaron and Bear.
This passage makes clear that Chase has concealed Aaron and Bear’s involvement in his crime not because he’s still loyal to them but because—full of self-loathing—he believes he bears the most responsibility. He even wonders whether his influence turned Aaron and Bear into “delinquent[s],” though given Aaron and Bear’s behavior toward the video-club kids and the assisted living facility residents, the two boys seem perfectly capable of cruelty and bullying on their own.
Themes
Tina continues to support Chase, and Johnny visits home to be with them during the trial—but that just makes Chase feel bad, like he’s ruining Johnny’s time at college. Chase also spends time with Frank, Corinne, and Helene. Oddly, Corinne is emotionally supportive and positive about “the kind of person” Chase is. When Chase tries to apologize for how he treated her and Helene before his accident, Corinne dismisses it, implying that the present is more important. Moreover, because Helene is too young to understand Chase’s problems, Chase finds some solace in playing dolls with her.
Johnny comes home from college to support Chase, suggesting that Johnny is a kind, generous, mature person. Meanwhile, Corinne now believes in “the kind of person” Chase is, even though she used to dislike him on Helene’s behalf—which shows that the adults who have had the opportunity to observe Chase recognize the positive changes he’s made.
Themes
One day, Chase is helping Helene play with her dolls when he notices Frank filming them on his phone. Chase expresses confusion, given Frank’s previous slighting comments about Chase befriending a little girl. Frank says that if they show the video in court, it will prove to the judge that Chase is a good brother and help him get back to football.
Themes
Chase comments that Frank probably thinks he’s stupid for returning Mr. Solway’s Medal of Honor. Frank disagrees: while it would have been smarter for Chase to return the medal anonymously, Chase didn’t “earn” it, and it mattered to Mr. Solway—so Chase “did the right thing.” Chase questions whether the medal mattered to Mr. Solway, who can’t remember earning it any more than Chase can remember his own past. Frank points out that past events exist whether you can remember them or not.
Themes
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Frank goes on to say that though he “loved” Chase’s pre-accident self, he respects Chase’s new personality and recognizes that it makes certain things possible, like Chase’s friendship with Helene, which would never have been possible before. Chase says he thought Frank believed “that kind of stuff [was a] weakness.” Frank, blushing, says that he’s come to recognize the character it took for Chase to shield Aaron and Bear from blame, as well as to make restitutions to Mr. Solway and Joel. Chase has done some idiotic things, but everybody does, on occasion; Chase shouldn’t let that “cost [him] the game.” To Chase’s surprise, he realizes that Frank is proud of him.
When Chase enters juvenile court, he has a sudden flashback to entering it with Aaron and Bear the last time. He remembered being furious that he, a great sports star, was being held to account for his behavior. Now he’s so conscious of his own guilt that he doesn’t even want to defend himself—an attitude that irritates his lawyer, Mr. Landau. Walking into the courtroom with Tina and Frank, Chase sees that a lot of people have come to the hearing: the football coach and some players, including Joey; Shoshanna, Joel, and their parents; Ms. DeLeo and some teachers. Chase assumes that they’ve come to gloat. He’s miserably shocked at how much they hate him.
Themes
The judge enters, rereads Chase’s file, and asks what he has to say in his own defense. Chase says that he has no defense: he stole Mr. Solway’s medal, even if he can’t remember the crime and would never commit it now. The judge says that that admission should make the hearing “easier, if not any more pleasant.”
Themes
Mr. Landau asks to call character witnesses in Chase’s defense. On the stand, Tina explains how much Chase has changed since his accident. Then Frank suggests that Chase has improved so much as a person that it makes Frank wish he’d had a traumatic accident at Chase’s age; this testimony shocks Chase, who thought Frank only liked Chase insofar as Chase took after Frank. Afterward, Chase’s original doctor gives his expert opinion that Chase’s accident really was severe enough to cause both amnesia and a “personality change,” though neuroscience is still mysterious enough that he can’t say whether the change will be permanent.
Themes
When Shoshanna takes the stand, Chase assumes she’ll criticize him harshly and asks Mr. Landau to stop her. She testifies that Chase has behaved badly in the past and is guilty of the crime in question—but he’s trying to improve and, even though she’s been his harshest critic, she firmly believes that he’ll “be a good person” in the future. The judge thanks Shoshanna but points out that the issue is Chase stealing the Medal of Honor, not his future character. He asks whether anyone else wants to speak in Chase’s defense. Everyone stands: teachers, video club members, football players—and Joel and his parents. Chase, shocked, tears up.
Themes
The judge acknowledges that Chase seems to have changed, but he asks whether Chase can assure him that he’s really a distinct entity from the thief of Mr. Solway’s medal. Chase doesn’t believe that his past and present selves are entirely “separate.” He knows he could lie to the judge and save himself, but that’s “what the old Chase would do.” Instead, he says that he doesn’t feel like the person he used to be and doesn’t want to act like that person, but he can’t swear that the old Chase has been annihilated.
Themes
The judge sighs, says Chase has “left [him] no choice,” and is about to pronounce a sentence—when Mr. Solway busts into the courtroom, using his walker and wearing his Medal of Honor. He announces that he has his medal back, so the case should be over. When the judge says that a happy ending doesn’t wipe away a crime, Mr. Solway claims no crime occurred: he lent Chase the medal. When Chase protests, Mr. Solway tells him that he has amnesia, so his account is less credible than Mr. Solway’s. When the judge implies that Mr. Solway might not be telling the truth, Mr. Solway insists that, speaking truthfully, Chase is a “good kid” whom he’d trust with his medal.
Themes
When Mr. Landau claims that Mr. Solway’s testimony is cause for “reasonable doubt,” the judge laughs mockingly—but he decides to dismiss the charges, warning Chase not to “prove [him] wrong.” The whole courtroom celebrates. The football players in attendance hoist Chase onto their shoulders and parade him around, which triggers a flashback to their championship win the previous year. Once they put him down, Chase—feeling tremendously grateful—thanks everyone and hugs several people, including Shoshanna, which causes Joel to laugh at them and Shoshanna to jump away blushing. Before she leaves, she too tells Chase not to “prove [her] wrong.”
Themes
Chase walks to Mr. Solway, who tells him that he almost “blew it.” When Chase insists that Mr. Solway never lent him the medal, Mr. Solway retorts that since he’s elderly and Chase has amnesia, no one can know for sure—and besides, he “would have” lent Chase the medal. When Chase thanks him shakily, Mr. Solway suggests he should thank Corinne instead. Chase spots Corinne near the doorway with Helene, holding the keys to her van. Contemplating all the support he’s received, Chase decides that his accident was “the best thing that ever happened” to him.
Themes
