Identity, Memory, and Responsibility Theme in Restart

Restart suggests that taking responsibility for past actions is an important part of understanding and shaping one’s own identity. Of course, the characters in the novel aren’t necessarily defined by what they can remember about themselves or what they’ve done in the past, but there is a clear sense that everyone should be accountable for their past.

More specifically, the novel illustrates the complicated dynamics between identity and memory in the character Chase Ambrose, an arrogant middle-school football star and major bully who loses his memories in an accident. After the accident, Chase can’t remember his macho father, Frank, obsessing over his football career or his jock friends Aaron and Bear encouraging his bullying. Due to this memory loss, suppressed elements of Chase’s personality come to the surface: he’s friendlier to “uncool” kids, more interested in “geeky” pursuits like video club, and happy to help his much-younger sister Helene play with dolls. Moreover, when he learns about his bad past actions, they disgust him, and he hopes to be a better person in the future. Some of his former bullying victims think Chase’s identity remains unchanged—they compare him to an animal and say things like “a leopard never changes his spots”—but Chase’s amnesia makes clear that his past behavior doesn’t express his core personality.

Although Chase can’t remember his past actions and doesn’t want to repeat them, he’s still responsible for them. The novel makes this clear by revealing that Chase, prior to his accident, stole a Medal of Honor from an elderly Korean War veteran named Mr. Solway. When post-accident Chase becomes aware of his crime, merely disavowing his past actions isn’t enough to undo the damage. It’s only when Chase has returned the medal to Mr. Solway and refused to lie to a juvenile court judge about whether his old self is dead—something Chase doesn’t believe he can promise—that he truly matures beyond the “old” Chase, who would have lied and promised anything to get out of trouble. Through Chase’s character arc, Restart suggests that we should hold ourselves accountable for our past mistakes without feeling that we’re doomed to repeat them, illustrating that people really can shape their own identities.

Identity, Memory, and Responsibility ThemeTracker

The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Identity, Memory, and Responsibility appears in each chapter of Restart. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.

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Chapter

Identity, Memory, and Responsibility Quotes in Restart

Below you will find the important quotes in Restart related to the theme of Identity, Memory, and Responsibility.

I remember falling.

At least I think I do. Or maybe that’s just because I know I fell.

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 1

Explanation and Analysis:

This quotation opens the novel. The protagonist, Chase Ambrose, has fallen and suffered a head injury causing amnesia. Though the quotation is brief, it reveals a lot about Chase and his preoccupations. First, Chase may seem like an unreliable narrator because he claims to remember falling and then contradicts himself. In fact, however, he’s a very honest narrator: though his knowledge is limited, he tells the truth as he sees it and corrects himself when he realizes he may have made a mistake. Later in the novel, Chase will learn that he used to be a bully, try to make Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perfer

I still can’t figure it out. Chase isn’t Darth Vader or Voldemort; he doesn’t have the Force or dark magical powers. And yet he, Aaron Hakimian, and Bear Bratsky made Joel’s life so miserable that my parents had no choice but to find him a school in another town.

Related Characters: Shoshanna Weber (speaker), Joel Weber, Chase Ambrose, Aaron Hakimian, Bear Bratsky

Page Number and Citation: 14-15

Explanation and Analysis:

Chase Ambrose’s classmate Shoshanna Weber is reflecting on how Chase, Aaron, and Bear bullied her twin brother, Joel Weber, so badly during his seventh-grade year that Mr. and Mrs. Weber sent him away to boarding school. The quotation reveals the implicit tensions in Shoshanna’s view of Chase. On the one hand, in trying to understand how Chase bullied her brother, Shoshanna draws on highly negative cultural figures like Darth Vader, a major villain in George Lucas’s Star Wars franchise, and Voldemort, the head villain in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. These comparisons imply that Shoshanna doesn’t see Chase as Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qu

“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. Don’t squander it! I’m sure you’re not feeling very lucky, but there are millions of people who’d give anything to stand where you stand right now—in front of a completely blank canvas.”

Related Characters: Dr. Fitzwallace (speaker), Chase Ambrose, Joel Weber, Mr. Solway

Related Symbols: Medal of Honor

Page Number and Citation: 27

Explanation and Analysis:

On amnesiac Chase’s first day of eighth grade, the middle-school principal Dr. Fitzwallace summons him to his office and gives him a speech about not “squander[ing]” his “completely fresh start.” Dr. Fitzwallace’s speech is thematically important for what it implies about identity and memory. When he says that Chase can “rebuild [himself] from the ground up” because he has lost his memories, he’s making two implicit claims. First, he’s claiming that Chase’s identity is based on his memory. With his memories gone, Chase’s identity is like a demolished building that must be completely rebuilt “from the ground up” with new Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium ius

“But where’s their leader? The apex predator? Could that be him paying for a pack of Fig Newtons at the cash register? Yes, it is—the king of beasts, Footballus herois.”

Related Characters: Brendan Espinoza (speaker), Chase Ambrose

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

Video-club president Brendan Espinoza is filming various cliques in the cafeteria and commenting on them as if they were species of exotic animal in a nature documentary. When he sees Chase, he calls him the “leader” of the football players, “apex predator,” “king of beasts,” and “Footballus herois.” Brendan’s mocking commentary on Chase reveals both Chase’s status in the social hierarchy and the way that less popular kids tend to stereotype more popular kids. Brendan’s mocking names for Chase clearly suggest that Chase was popular due to his athletic prowess—and a bully. “Apex predator” is a biological term for an Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit alias. In et

When I got amnesia, I lost thirteen years of myself. I have to replace those memories using what I can pick up from other people. But everyone has a slightly different version of me—Mom, Dad, my friends, the kids at school, even frozen yogurt girl. For all I know, the lunch ladies know me better than anyone else.

Who should I believe?

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose (speaker), Aaron Hakimian, Bear Bratsky, Frank Ambrose, Shoshanna Weber

Page Number and Citation: 43

Explanation and Analysis:

After Chase learns from his friends Aaron and Bear that all three of them were sentenced to community service for blowing up a piano as a “prank,” he confronts his mother Tina about hiding his past legal troubles from him. He realizes that Aaron and Bear represented the “prank” as much funnier and less serious than Tina thinks it was, which makes him wonder: “Who should I believe?” Chase’s question here illuminates the tense relationship between individuals’ identities, memories, and reputations. When seeking to understand their identities, people can usually take into account their present sense of self, their memories Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut.

Shosh466: C’mon, little bro. U were miserable at home.

JWPianoMan: At least there I was special. Here I’m just another 2nd rate piano player.

Related Characters: Joel Weber (speaker), Shoshanna Weber (speaker), Chase Ambrose

Page Number and Citation: 61

Explanation and Analysis:

Shoshanna is messaging her twin brother Joel, a talented piano player who currently attends a boarding school, Melton Prep and Musical Conservatory, focused on musical education. Shoshanna and Joel’s parents sent Joel to Melton primarily to protect him from bullying by Chase Ambrose, but Joel seems to hate attending Melton even more than he hated his hometown middle school where he was bullied. Joel’s claim that he’s “special” at home but “2nd rate” at Melton illustrates how people’s sense of themselves varies according to their social contexts. In one sense, Joel was very low in his hometown middle school’s social Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi s

“That’s who we are, Champ. We’re Ambrose men. We’re the doers. Other people take pictures of us!”

Related Characters: Frank Ambrose (speaker), Chase Ambrose

Page Number and Citation: 65

Explanation and Analysis:

While filming a preseason football scrimmage for video club, Chase runs into his father, Frank, who—oddly enough for an adult—follows the middle-school football team closely even when his son isn’t playing. Frank criticizes Chase for filming the scrimmage instead of playing football himself, even though Chase is recovering from a concussion and has been benched on his doctor’s orders. To appease Frank, Chase avoids mentioning his interest in film and instead simply claims he’ll play football as soon as the doctor allows. Frank responds approvingly with the above quotation, which reveals how Frank restricts Chase’s explorations of his identity by Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit alias. In

I get that his memory is erased. But is our whole friendship erased too? Being boys with someone isn’t just a bunch of stuff you did together in the past. There has to be more to it than that! But right now, it’s like we’ve got zero in common with the guy.

Related Characters: Aaron Hakimian (speaker), Chase Ambrose, Bear Bratsky, Brendan Espinoza

Page Number and Citation: 87-88

Explanation and Analysis:

After Chase saves Brendan from a football player who is bullying him, Aaron broods on whether Chase is still his and Bear’s friend. Aaron’s thoughts explore the relationship between memory and friendship; they also show how an intelligent, sensitive kid like Chase could become a bully—as Aaron is a bully who shows surprising intelligence and emotional depth in this quotation. Aaron wonders what it means to be someone’s friend: he wants it to be “more” than “just a bunch of stuff you did together in the past”—that is, more than shared memories. Yet—even though he believes friendship ought to be Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime

“I don’t know if he’s changed and I don’t care. The person he was broke up this family. What he did to Joel is unforgivable. That means he can never be forgiven.”

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose, Shoshanna Weber, Joel Weber

Page Number and Citation: 135

Explanation and Analysis:

Shoshanna and Joel’s parents have just discovered that Shoshanna is working with Joel’s former bully Chase for the National Video Journalism Contest. They immediately stage an intervention forbidding Shoshanna from becoming friendly with Chase. When Shoshanna points out that Chase’s personality has changed dramatically since his amnesia-causing head injury, Shoshanna’s mother, Mrs. Weber, denies that any personal growth on Chase’s part is relevant: “he can never be forgiven” because “the person he was broke up this family.” Chase is a former bully who, after getting amnesia, can’t remember his bullying and no longer wants to bully. This situation poses questions Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum

Dad says the old Chase is back. I wanted that once. But right now the new Chase is the life I’d rather have.

And I’ve lost that too.

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose (speaker), Shoshanna Weber, Frank Ambrose, Joel Weber, Brendan Espinoza, Dr. Fitzwallace, Bear Bratsky, Mr. Solway, Aaron Hakimian

Page Number and Citation: 178

Explanation and Analysis:

When Chase, Aaron, and Bear are called into principal Dr. Fitzwallace’s office, Chase backs up Aaron’s lies about why Aaron and Bear sprayed Brendan and Joel with fire extinguishers. Chase only lies because he doesn’t want to be punished for something he really didn’t do—but everyone believes that if he’s willing to lie for Aaron and Bear, he must have collaborated in their bullying after all. After his father Frank drives him home from school, Chase sits on the roof and contemplates having “lost” the “new Chase” he was constructing after his accident. This scene is important because it reveals Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic

“He’s like a cobra. He lured us in until we trusted him. Then he struck. And now he’s slithered back to his old life as if nothing ever happened.”

Related Characters: Shoshanna Weber (speaker), Aaron Hakimian, Bear Bratsky, Joel Weber, Brendan Espinoza, Chase Ambrose

Page Number and Citation: 182

Explanation and Analysis:

When Brendan tries to convince Shoshanna that Chase may not have intentionally participated in Aaron and Bear’s renewed bullying of Joel, Shoshanna refuses to believe him: she compares Chase to a “cobra” that lulls its prey into a false sense of security, strikes, and “slither[s]” away. This comparison reveals that Shoshanna stereotypes popular kids and bullies much in the same way they stereotype her. By comparing Chase to a predatory animal, Shoshanna suggests that his bullying is natural, instinctive, and incapable of change—effectively, she is not only stereotyping him but also dehumanizing him by arguing that he is too set Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta.

It’s no problem escaping Aaron and Bear.

But I’ll never be able to get away from myself.

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose (speaker), Mr. Solway, Aaron Hakimian, Bear Bratsky

Related Symbols: Medal of Honor

Page Number and Citation: 191

Explanation and Analysis:

Aaron has just revealed to Chase that Chase, just prior to his accident, stole Mr. Solway’s Medal of Honor. He, Aaron, and Bear were planning to sell the medal and split the proceeds. Chase is horrified, for obvious reasons: he has just learned that he used to be the kind of person who would steal a veteran’s military medal and that he has stolen specifically from Mr. Solway, a friend Chase deeply admires. Chase’s claim that he will “never be able to get away from [him]self” suggests that, in his horror, he has come to accept the harsh take on Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima

Maybe it’ll come back to me in bits and pieces like some of my past. But when? It could take years. What if Mr. Solway dies in the meantime? How will I ever make it right?

Related Characters: Chase Ambrose (speaker), Mr. Solway, Aaron Hakimian, Bear Bratsky, Joel Weber

Related Symbols: Medal of Honor

Page Number and Citation: 200

Explanation and Analysis:

Chase now knows that prior to his amnesia-causing accident, he stole Mr. Solway’s Medal of Honor—but he can no longer remember where he put it. He’s terrified that if he waits until his memory comes back, elderly Mr. Solway will already be dead by the time he remembers. Prior to this point, Chase has distanced himself from his earlier identity as a bully and troublemaker by ceasing to engage in the relevant behaviors: he stopped hurting other kids, stopped participating in his friends Aaron and Bear’s cruel taunting of seniors at the assisted living facility, and so forth. While he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos.

It’s hard to watch, but it’s not as hard as I thought it would be. This is not who I am, I tell myself. It’s just something that happened to me. Somehow, seeing it unfold in real time, in high-definition video, I’m able to expand the fracas in the band room to include every rotten bullying thing that was ever done to me. And here I am, alive, undamaged—well, except my eye.

I’ve been victimized, but I don’t have to let that define me as a victim.

I’m back—back at home and back to myself.

Related Characters: Joel Weber (speaker), Aaron Hakimian, Brendan Espinoza, Chase Ambrose, Bear Bratsky

Page Number and Citation: 212

Explanation and Analysis:

Brendan has discovered footage of Aaron and Bear’s attack on the music room that proves Chase hit Joel in the face accidentally. When he screens it for the video club kids, Joel finds watching himself be physically victimized unexpectedly empowering—a culmination of Joel’s character development from bullying victim to brave, proud musician. Up to this point, Joel has allowed other people and his context to define him. For example, although he’s an excellent piano player, he allows the context of Melton Prep and Musical Conservatory to convince him that he’s mediocre simply because he’s surrounded by other talented kids. Additionally, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perf

“It was the old you!” Brendan mumbles around a rapidly swelling jaw.

“There’s only one me.” Chase says it so quietly that I can hardly hear him.

Related Characters: Shoshanna Weber (speaker), Chase Ambrose (speaker), Brendan Espinoza (speaker), Mr. Solway

Related Symbols: Medal of Honor

Page Number and Citation: 223

Explanation and Analysis:

Chase has just returned Mr. Solway’s stolen Medal of Honor and confessed to stealing it prior to his amnesia-causing accident. Brendan, seeing Chase’s guilt and shame, tries to comfort Chase by saying that the theft was the work of the “old” Chase. In response, Chase denies that there are two versions of him: “there’s only one” Chase Ambrose. Prior to this point, Chase has frequently thought of himself before his accident as the “old Chase” and his present, amnesiac self as the “new Chase”—as if they were different versions of him or perhaps entirely different people. By asserting that the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima

“I just didn’t know the new you yet. It takes strength to eat the blame and not rat out Aaron and Bear, especially when they more than deserve it. Or to try to make things right with Solway or even the Weber kid, whether they appreciate it or not. You’re strong, all right.”

Related Characters: Frank Ambrose (speaker), Bear Bratsky, Mr. Solway, Helene, Aaron Hakimian, Chase Ambrose, Joel Weber

Related Symbols: Medal of Honor

Page Number and Citation: 228

Explanation and Analysis:

Chase is waiting to attend a juvenile court hearing at which he will be tried for stealing Mr. Solway’s Medal of Honor. While he waits, he has a conversation with his father about his decision to return the medal and confess to the theft. Prior to this point in the novel, Frank has expressed a clear preference for the “old” version of Chase, hounding his son to return to football and expressing distaste for his new, un-macho behaviors like joining video club and playing dolls with his little half-sister Helene. At this point, however, Frank finally realizes that the “new,” Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit

Identity, Memory, and Responsibility Theme Analysis

Identity, Memory, and Responsibility ThemeTracker

Identity, Memory, and Responsibility Quotes in Restart

Chapter 1: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 2: Shoshanna Weber Quotes

Chapter 3: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 4: Brendan Espinoza Quotes

Chapter 5: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 7: Shoshanna Weber Quotes

Chapter 8: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 11: Aaron Hakimian Quotes

Chapter 16: Shoshanna Weber Quotes

Chapter 21: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 22: Shoshanna Weber Quotes

Chapter 23: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 25: Chase Ambrose Quotes

Chapter 26: Joel Weber Quotes

Chapter 28: Shoshanna Weber Quotes

Chapter 29: Chase Ambrose Quotes