Throughout the narrative, flashbacks are inserted to depict crucial moments of Seth’s past life. He experiences them as vivid, life-like dreams. These flashbacks are mostly self-contained chapters interspersed between chapters happening in Seth’s current time, keeping a clear divide between the past and the present. However, some dreams/memories are also interwoven within present chapters to blur the line between reality and fiction. Chapter 28, for example, draws a symbolic parallel between both of Seth’s suicide attempts, when he drowned himself and when he is running toward a cliff.

The flashbacks are a characterization tool that illuminates Seth’s character development. They contrast his past self and his current growth while providing background information about his relationships with his parents, Gudmund, and his friends in the online world. The flashbacks also create suspense by either retroactively explaining events or foreshadowing upcoming revelations. As Seth recovers more and more of his memories, his trajectory changes. When he remembers what really happened to Owen and finds his grave, flashbacks portray his parents choosing to move online permanently, and Seth can work through his guilt. The flashbacks give substance to the theme of