Is “Normal People” Really Normal?
Image Courtesy: IMDb
I probably wasn’t the only one who was convinced by TikTok to read Normal People by Sally Rooney. The novel was praised by fans all over the internet, especially following the release of the Hulu mini series which received several Emmy nominations.
After reading the novel and watching the series, I have several issues with the people that Rooney deems “normal”.
To provide some context, Normal People follows the lives and relationship between Marrianne and Connell as they mature and encounter life's many challenges— from mental health to lack of belonging to discernment. The story begins when Marrianne and Connell are in highschool. Marianne is wealthy and unliked by most of her classmates; Connell, in contrast, is lower class but extremely popular in school. After a romance gone wrong, Connell and Marianne attend the same university, their relationship going through a multitude of stages which ultimately ends in (SPOILER ALERT) love.
This, however, did not occur without its challenges.
Throughout the novel, Marianne has major struggles with her self worth and has a need to be controlled by others. Having no relationship with any of her classmates other than Connell, Marianne allows him to treat her poorly; Connell sleeps with her daily after school yet ignores her in front of his friends and other classmates, which Marrianne permits. It is stated, quite chillingly, on page 6 that Marrianne “would have lain on the ground and let him (Connell) walk over her body if he wanted, he knew that” (p. 36).
Marianne’s ill treatment of herself and need to be dominated continues throughout the novel. She enters into multiple relationships in which she allows for herself to be physically and mentally abused, finding a numb comfort in the pain.
One would think that by the end of this novel, Marianne’s issues with submission and insecurity would be eradicated, but this is unfortunately not the case. The mini series at least makes some attempt to eliminate these issues for Marianne (which is why many people prefer the series to the book) but the novel leaves the reader extremely unsatisfied.
The final episode of the TV show has Marrianne and Connell celebrating New Years Eve, gazing into each other's eyes, and saying I love you. The book paints a similar scene—Marriane and Connell gazing into each other's eyes on New Years Eve, only Mariannes response to Connell saying “I love you” is laughter and contentment because “she was in his power, he had chosen to redeem her, she was redeemed” (p. 269). The fact that Marrianne is only able to find redemption for herself through Connell’s eyes is a serious issue that the book glosses over, and almost romanticizes. Marianne’s resolve to allow herself to be “completely under the control of another person” is not a healthy one (p. 269). The TV series recognizes this, which is why they rightfully chose to exclude these questionable lines, instead pushing the idea that Marianne has finally found herself to be worthy of love with someone who treats her right.
Image Courtesy: Hulu
The issue with the book is that Marrianne never changes. Her situation is made happier by the presence of a man in her life who will not physically or emotionally take advantage of her; a man who genuinely loves her for who she is and is willing to treat her right. This development is very beautiful and makes the reader happy for Marrianne, however, we are not truly satisfied because of Marianne’s lack of character growth. Perhaps her situation was made better by external factors, but her internal issues of insecurity and lack of self respect remain.
Marianne’s insecurity remaining present at the end of the novel is reflected in her jealousy: her jealousy of Connells’s success as an editor of a literary magazine and her jealousy of his relationship with Sadie, one of his co-workers from the magazine.
Marianne, upon finding out that Sadie suggested Connell apply for a job in New York, abruptly asks him if he’s in love with her. She feels inadequate due to her inability to share in Connell’s intellectual passions, and immediately jumps to the fact that he does not want her, worse, that he is in love with someone else (there is absolutely no precedence for this in the story).
The show removes this detail. When Marrianne asks Connell who suggested he apply for the job, the answer is that it was a tutor. There is no scene of an unreasonably jealous Marrianne; it is completely scrapped so that the viewer focuses on Marrianne’s heartwarming support of Connell in taking the job.
The book, in contrast to the TV series, leaves the reader very conscious about the fact that there are still many issues with Marrianne, and as a result, many issues in her relationship with Connell. While certain aspects of this are completely normal, some of the unhealthy aspects of their relationship, and certain things that occur in the story are not.
It is normal to feel alienated from others and to have struggles with mental health, which both Connell and Marrianne had their fair share of in this story. It is also normal to make stupid mistakes when you’re growing up and venturing out into the world, and it is certainly normal to have a relationship that is imperfect. However, Sally Rooney normalized a relationship that from start to finish was unhealthy and not normal. She normalized unhealthy dependency on others, and left severely problematic personal issues with Marianne unresolved.
Strike Out,
Writer: Jane Miller
Editors: Katie Sharp, Natalie Daskal
Notre Dame
