The central theme of Notes from the Midnight Driver is the process through which teenagers discover a sense of self and gain emotional maturity. Alex, the protagonist, is an ideal example of an adolescent who struggles to understand his own thinking as well as to express his feelings externally.

In the early chapters of the novel, Alex demonstrates an extreme lack of self-awareness and control. The conflict of the novel begins when Alex chooses to get drunk and drive to get revenge on his father; Alex’s plan falls apart because he had “never gotten drunk before” (4) and didn’t anticipate how “smashed” (4) he would get. This kind of irrational behavior is a hallmark of adolescence. Through Alex’s behavior, readers can both see his lack of thought as well as his inability to process his feelings.

As the plot of the novel progresses, Alex misses key information and opportunities for self-reflection, focusing on tangible rewards rather than his own growth. When Alex develops his plan for the first benefit concert for the nursing home, he is filled with excitement about impressing “the judge with [his] apparent selflessness and personal growth” (127). The

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