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It is hard to recall a recent book that received as much pre-publication hype as Sally Rooney’s sophomore effort, Normal People. The follow up to her bestselling debut, Conversations with Friends, this novel became a sort of trendy accessory upon its publication, a must-read companion for culturally elite millennials. The commodifaction of the novel’s cultural capital feels a bit comical, given that the writer and her characters rail against the capitalist system, albeit in understated ways.
At the center of Normal People are Connell and Marianne, two characters who meet in grade school then attend Trinity College together, who have an on again off again romance throughout these formative years. Connell’s mother is Marianne’s housekeeper—Marianne is raised by an emotionally distant wealthy mother who allows Marianne’s older brother to abuse her, and who was herself abused by Marianne’s late father. Meanwhile, Connell’s mother had him in her teens, never married, but offers her son a stable and emotionally nurturing home, a far cry from Marianne’s home life. At school, both students are at the top of their class, but Connell is a popular rugby player and Marianne is a social outcast, often the victim of bullying by some of Connell’s closest friends.
Their sexual affair begins in secret, Connell is embarrassed of his desire for Marianne, and fears being a known associate of a social outcast. Connell is confused by his desire for Marianne, who is not especially attractive, but offers him complete and total devotion. This imbalance of power is always present in their relationship, as Connell is uncomfortable with the power he wields over the damaged Marianne. As they grow older, these questions of status and power are always present in their relationship, and miscommunications that result from insecurities related to these power dynamics tear the two apart at various points, and at other times these insecurities bring them together. Rooney has crafted a romance that is at once deeply physical, with powerful sex scenes and descriptions of physical desire, but also relies on a deep intellectual connection for a different type of intimacy. It is their comfortability communicating with each other that always brings them together.
Both Normal People and Conversations with Friends feel like Austen for a new age, dealing heavily in social politics with elements of a comedy of manners. At the center of Normal People is a love connection between two individuals of different socioeconomic standing, and this class difference exerts a great deal of influence over their relational power dynamic. While Connell holds the social capital and Marianne holds the economic capital in their high school years, their dynamic shifts when Marianne accrues higher social standing at Trinity. Their relationship always seems to be taking place on unequal ground, the only equalizer being their intellects and desire for each other. At various points they correspond in person or over email, discussing at length topics of cultural import—peace talks in the Middle East, the role of journalism in conflict, etc. Their relationship is forged on their interest in these topics, and becomes a safe space for them to openly debate these shared interests without judgement from external forces. Rooney seems to be positing that a shared life of the mind is the basis of a true love connection, a refreshingly sharp and weighty assertion in a fraught teenage romance, sometimes crippled by insecurity and miscommunication.
Normal People meets Marianne and Connell where they are, bucking the stereotypes of a shy girl-jock romance narrative, choosing instead to expose the deep insecurities and fears of both its central characters. The novel is not overtly political, but chooses instead to infuse the romance plot with subtle political and cultural dimensions, where cultural politics play out on a smaller scale. What feels most radical about the novel is its sensitivity, the way that Rooney tends to the emotional needs of her characters, who often have trouble conveying these needs to one another. A smartly written and sharp romance, it is no wonder Normal People has found such a following with readers of all ages.
Further Viewing: The limited series adaptation on Hulu, which is exceedingly faithful to the source material. And an important companion piece: one writer’s opinion on what the show gets wrong.