Definition: a philosophical theory emphasizing the existence of the individual as a free and responsible agent determining his or her own development. A thematically significant point of the story development takes place in Chapter 16, when Nathanial learns that Danny, a member of The Chain, was a victim of police brutality many years ago. Later the saying "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" is aptly used in reference to the story, which involved police officers letting savage dogs loose on Danny to force him to give them information that was false. His story's conclusion and climax had one of the police officers that had attacked him visit Danny's school for a talk to improve citizen-authority relations, at the end of which the officer gave Danny a wink: When he winked, it all came clear to me. I realised everything that happened was a joke. I had been thinking that what happened with the police was wrong, waiting for something to happen to make it right. But when he winked, I realised nothing was going to make it right. That's life. Nothing made sense but to stay alive – survive. Justice. Right and wrong, it was all bullshit that people made up. - (page 122) This quote and the opinion expressed in it is somewhat jarring with the rest of the novel's message, as it flatly denies the existence of both good and evil, crediting them to existential inventions of mankind to put order in the world. This reflects the philosophical belief known as nihilism. At the same time, it shows an acknowledgement on Carmody's part of philosophies outside of the key one that the story presents. The theory is, however, later rebuffed by the very same character that put it forward, as it doesn't make sense in the context of the novel: You could tell he really believed that but there was something wrong about what he was saying. Something that didn't jell. And I thought of Lallie's warning to Danny. She had told him not to let the dark flame of the past consume the future. "Lallie and the Chain? That's about right winning out over wrong." Danny grinned at me, an engaging urchin's and in spite of being horrified over what he had told me I found myself smiling back. "Yeah well, I'm an idealist." - (page 123) Personal demons To reach a more personal, relatable level