Stella Maris

In Stella Maris, Alicia emerges as a complex character, a former child prodigy whose trajectory takes a rebellious turn into the realm of rogue mathematics. The narrative unfolds in the autumn of 1972, when the 20-year-old protagonist voluntarily admits herself to a private psychiatric clinic in Wisconsin. Alicia encapsulates a multitude of psychological and philosophical intricacies—synesthesia, schizophrenia, autism, anorexia, nihilism, and relentless suicidal ideation that, inevitably, will prevail. She emerges as a tragic genius, navigating the complexities of her mind with a sense of hopelessness that adds a somber layer to her brilliance. Intricately woven into her intricate character is an unconventional love, as she harbors romantic feelings for her brother and rejects anyone who considers this an inviolable taboo. Despite her internal turmoil, Alicia possesses exceptional talents in philosophy, mathematics, and music. McCarthy paints her as not only intellectually gifted but also physically captivating, with Dr. Cohen describing her as “extremely good looking” (43).

Through Alicia, McCarthy explores the human need for meaning and the potentially devastating consequences that can arise when people lose their faith in a meaningful existence.

Throughout her interviews with Dr. Cohen, Alicia articulates her initial fervor for mathematics, a language tool introduced by her father as a metaphorical lens for comprehending the intricacies of the world: “I understood—really understood—that the equations were not a supposition of the form whose life was confined to the symbols on the page which described them, but they were there before my eyes. In actuality. They were in the paper, the ink, in me. The universe” (85). However, as she delves into her doctoral studies in topos theory, Alicia undergoes a transformation, recognizing that mathematics is an elusive, faith-based domain constructed with abstract determinates and operators—concepts invented to describe the world. Challenging the mathematical Platonism of Kurt Gödel, who saw mathematical concepts as objectively real, Alicia explains, “He thought that mathematical objects had the same reality as trees and stones” (179).

Embracing solipsism, she asserts that mathematics cannot exist independently of human perception, contending that the subject begets endless questions with no definitive answers. According to her, there is no universal, transcendental meaning, no “shimmering palimpsest of eternal abidement,” only the perpetual exploration of inquiries without ultimate resolution (180). In Alicia’s evolving perspective, mathematics transforms from a concrete representation of the universe to an abstract realm of human invention, challenging the very foundations of her earlier metaphysical convictions.

As the novel concludes, Alicia remains adrift in a search for purpose, sinking deeper into her nihilistic and pessimistic worldview, eventually developing an unsettling admiration for death. Her longing for demise leads her to articulate elaborate scenarios of self-destruction, contemplating drowning in a lake, overdosing out at sea, or even being torn apart by animals. Her choice of language suggests a fascination with the dissolution of the self.

In the story’s final lines, Alicia’s resignation to her fate becomes evident as she clasps the doctor’s hand, expressing, “because that’s what people do when they’re waiting for the end of something” (190). In the haunting silence that follows, Alicia’s acceptance of the inevitable casts a somber shadow over the narrative, leaving readers to ponder the profound implications of her tragic journey. The novel’s conclusion leaves a haunting resonance, inviting contemplation on the complexities of despair, the relentless pursuit of meaning, and the delicate thread that separates existence from the abyss. Those who have already read The Passenger know that she does in fact die by suicide, a decision which ultimately shapes the plot of this novel as her brother, Bobby, never recovers from the guilt he feels at having failed to prevent her death.