Drowning and Dreaming: Navigating Mental Illness in McCarthy’s Twin Novels

Abstract
Cormac McCarthy’s Stella Maris and The Passenger explore themes of mental illness, pain,
inner struggles, and medical treatment. The novels follow siblings Alicia and Bobby Western,
who face deep emotional and psychological suffering. Alicia, a gifted mathematician, is
diagnosed with schizophrenia and admitted to the Stella Maris psychiatric hospital. She
speaks with her doctor about her hallucinations, fears, and beliefs, questioning the meaning
of her illness. She refuses medication, showing how psychiatry sometimes fails to fully
understand a person’s mind. Her struggle highlights the limits of medical treatment when
dealing with deep emotional pain. Bobby, a deep-sea diver, suffers from guilt, grief, and
trauma after losing his father and sister. Unlike Alicia, he does not seek medical help but
instead isolates himself, trying to escape his past. He feels lost in the world, haunted by
unanswered questions and personal suffering. Alicia is unable to overcome her pain and takes
her own life, showing the tragic side of mental illness. Bobby, however, continues moving
forward, even though he is still struggling. His survival suggests that endurance is a form of
healing. McCarthy’s novels question how medicine treats mental illness and whether true
healing comes from within. They show that understanding and human connection are as
important as medical treatment.
Keywords: Mental Illness, Pain, Psychiatry, Inner Struggles