If ghosts are memories of the dead, then Rheya is a ghost in Solaris; she's Kelvin's grief made flesh. She's a nightmare of guilt: He feels responsible for her suicide, so he hideously kills her, or watches her die, over and over. She's also a dream of happiness: The two of them go everywhere together, sleep together, tell each other they love each other, and plan for a future. And she's a bland recapitulation of a not very happy relationship: They're constantly arguing and talking about how they can't communicate.
Whether nightmare or dream or just memory, though, Kelvin can't get rid of her—which is how memories and grief work on earth, in space, or anywhere else humans may find themselves.
Questions About Memory and the Past
- Does Kelvin come to terms with his grief? Or is he still not reconciled to Rheya's death at the end of the novel?
- Is Kelvin's grief more important to the novel than the character of Rheya? Should it be?
- Does Kelvin love Rheya or the memory of Rheya? Is there a difference?
Chew on This
Nothing in Solaris really happens; it's all just Kelvin's dream about Rheya.
Memories in Solaris are more real and permanent than the people who remember them.