Theme

In the novel the idea of identity is center to the plot line. Literally, Cady doesn't know who she is. While most teens are trying to find themselves Cady literally must find out who she is. The stakes are considerably higher and each clue that is offered to both Cady and the reader, begins to offer a clearer view as to who Cady is as a person, as well as who her family is.

What begins to emerge is that Cady is none of the things that she is told that she is. At first, she is told that she is an escaped mental patient who stole the family car and possibly injured people. Then, she is accused of being a drunkard and drug user. Last, she is accused of being a murderer.

What Cady understands about herself is that she has an immediate aversion to all of the stories that are told about her, even though she doesn't know who she is, completely. She does know who she is NOT, thanks in large part to Ty who supports her efforts to recover her memory.

Identity in the novel is shown to be something that a person develops over time, and is a collection of one's desires, dreams, beliefs, and moral structures regarding life and love.