Rebel
Chapter 30: os Angeles: Daniel 1
by Lu, MarieDaniel returns to Los Angeles with June, navigating a mix of nostalgia and disorientation as he observes the changes in the city. The Republic’s landscape is both familiar and altered—plague patrols and X‑marked doors are gone, replaced by scaffolding, green spaces, and ongoing construction projects. June explains that Anden’s leadership is driving these slow but hopeful transformations, though financial challenges persist. Daniel’s memories of his childhood streets resurface, but the presence of June’s hand in his anchors him, easing the awkwardness between them and calming his turbulent thoughts.
The duo visits the newly built Republic History Museum, a stark memorial to the nation’s dark past. Exhibits include Trial uniforms, plague patrol gear, and portraits of past Electors, including Anden’s father. The museum also documents the war that split America, reframing it as “Coranda’s War” rather than a civil war. A separate room confronts the legacy of slavery in pre-Republic America, leaving Daniel to reflect on whether the nation was ever truly united. The weight of history overwhelms them, and they are eventually asked to leave as the museum closes.
Outside, Daniel shares fragmented memories of the area, recalling his first encounters with Kaede and Tess, as well as the Skiz duel gamblers. June grows somber, avoiding the alley where her brother Metias was killed, a reminder of her deepest pain. Daniel recognizes her grief, paralleling it with his own love and loss for his brother John. Despite their resilience, both carry scars from their pasts, and June’s ability to adapt doesn’t erase her fear of those memories.
As the sun sets, Daniel comforts June, acknowledging her strength in moving forward while honoring Metias’s memory. June shifts the focus to Eden, urging Daniel to guide him, as Eden now shoulders responsibilities akin to Daniel’s past role. The chapter closes with Daniel gazing at the water, hinting at the unresolved tension between past wounds and future obligations. Their shared history binds them, but the path ahead remains uncertain.
FAQs
1. How does Daniel describe the changes in Los Angeles since his childhood, and what do these changes reveal about the Republic’s evolution?
Answer:
Daniel observes both familiar and unfamiliar elements in Los Angeles. While the divide between rich and poor remains stark, he notes the absence of plague patrols and X-marked doors—symbols of past oppression. New developments like vegetable gardens, construction projects, and a Republic History Museum indicate attempts at reform under Anden’s leadership. These changes suggest a slow transition from a militarized dystopia toward a more open society, though economic struggles persist. The scaffolding symbolizes both progress and the Republic’s precarious financial state, relying on international investments to sustain its reforms.2. Analyze the significance of the Republic History Museum. How does it reflect the government’s approach to addressing its past?
Answer:
The museum serves as a curated memorial to the Republic’s brutal history, displaying artifacts like Trial uniforms and plague patrol gear. By naming past conflicts (e.g., “Coranda’s War”) and acknowledging pre-Republic injustices (e.g., slavery), it attempts to confront historical truths—a departure from prior propaganda. However, its polished presentation and omission of terms like “Civil War” suggest selective framing. The exhibit underscores Anden’s push for transparency while highlighting the tension between reckoning with the past and crafting a nationalist narrative. Daniel’s overwhelmed reaction implies this effort is both necessary and unsettling.3. How does the dynamic between Daniel and June illustrate their shared trauma and growth?
Answer:
Their interactions reveal deep emotional scars and mutual understanding. June’s silent support during Daniel’s introspection shows her awareness of his struggle with memory loss. Their physical closeness (holding hands, leaning on each other) contrasts with lingering awkwardness, reflecting unresolved pain. When June avoids the alley tied to her brother’s death, Daniel recognizes her grief mirroring his own—both fear the past but draw strength from each other. Their conversation about Eden underscores how they’ve evolved: June urges action, echoing her leadership role, while Daniel’s reassurance (“You’re here… changing the world”) highlights their resilience.4. What thematic role does memory play in this chapter, particularly in relation to place and identity?
Answer:
Memory acts as both a bridge and a wound. Physical locations (the bar, the alley) trigger fragmented recollections for Daniel, reconstructing his identity piecemeal—like recalling Tess or Kaede. The museum forces a collective confrontation with memory, exposing how national identity is shaped by selective remembrance. For June and Daniel, shared spaces evoke personal trauma (Metias’s death, John’s absence), binding them through grief. The chapter suggests that while memory is painful, engaging with it—as Daniel does by revisiting LA—is essential to healing and progress, even if the past can never be fully reclaimed.5. Why might Daniel’s observation about the United States (“Maybe this place has always been a dystopia”) be significant to the novel’s broader critique of power?
Answer:
This reflection challenges idealized notions of history by framing oppression as cyclical rather than unique to the Republic. By linking past injustices (slavery) to present systems (the Republic’s class divides), the narrative critiques how power corrupts across eras. The museum’s exhibits—contrasting the Republic’s tyranny with America’s legacy of violence—underscore this continuity. Daniel’s insight suggests dystopia isn’t an aberration but a recurring pattern when power goes unchecked, reinforcing the novel’s warning about complacency toward authority. It also raises questions about whether true reform is possible or if new systems inevitably replicate old flaws.
Quotes
1. “Everything about the Republic feels familiar and strange.”
This opening line captures Daniel’s complex relationship with his homeland, setting the tone for the chapter’s exploration of memory, change, and the tension between past and present in post-war Los Angeles.
2. “Maybe the United States was only ever united for some. Maybe this place has always been a dystopia.”
A profound reflection during Daniel’s museum visit, this quote questions the foundational myths of the nation and suggests systemic oppression has deep historical roots.
3. “We may not be the same people we used to be. Maybe we’ll never find our way back to that place. But we bear the same scars from the same old wounds.”
This poignant observation about Daniel and June’s relationship reveals how shared trauma creates enduring bonds, even as people evolve beyond their past selves.
4. “Living in the future, changing the world around you. He’ll always be a part of your story.”
Daniel’s comforting words to June about her late brother demonstrate the chapter’s theme of carrying forward legacies while building a new future.
5. “He’s the only one of us who has any understanding at all of Dominic Hann’s work. It’s not the first time a nation has suddenly come to rest on his shoulders….”
This cliffhanger ending shifts focus to Eden’s crucial role, hinting at the cyclical nature of responsibility and revolution in their world.