Love, Stargirl

“I love beginnings.”

The first line of Stargirl’s letter written on New Year’s Day reflects her positive personality and the beginning of a new chapter in her life in a new city, without Leo. The novel’s end one year later recalls this comment, as it marks another new beginning: Stargirl’s personal solstice, the rebirth of her confidence and love for Leo.

“I mean, when I’m really doing it right, getting myself totally erased, I’m the opposite of nothing—I’m everything. I’m everything but myself. I’ve evaporated like water vapor into the universe. I am no longer Stargirl. I am tree. Wind. Earth.”

Meditating allows Stargirl to connect to the natural world and exist purely in the moment: a practice that helps her regain her confidence. This quote reflects the novel’s themes of identity and living for today by illustrating how Stargirl attempts to let go of her worries and focus on herself and the world around her.

“Was that my mistake Leo? Did I overdo it? Did I scare you off?”

Stargirl shows her emotional vulnerability as she searches for answers to why Leo rejected her. Her questions reflect her new self-doubt and self-blame, and continue a conversational tone set forth by the epistles of the novel.