The Passenger

The novel deals extensively with 20th-century developments in physics, math, and science. There are frequent discussions of quantum mechanics, and many of the 20th century’s most famous scientists, including Albert Einstein, are mentioned. Quantum mechanics itself is a field within physics that “describes the behavior of particles” (Mann, Adam. “What is Quantum Mechanics?” Livescience, 4 Mar. 2022). Additionally, “In classical mechanics, objects exist in a specific place at a specific time. In quantum mechanics, objects instead exist in a haze of probability; they have a certain chance of being at point A, another chance of being at point B and so on” (Mann). This is a useful starting point for those new to how quantum mechanics, and the uncertainty it uncovered, challenged humanity’s way of understanding the nature of reality. Historically, a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics, specifically by eminent 1920s scientist Neils Bohr, ultimately led to the development of the atomic bomb, which changed the course of human history. The legacy of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, at the end of World War II is explored in the novel. That humanity possesses means to exterminate itself from the planet is a central theme in the novel.