Normal People by Sally Rooney is a coming of
age novel for Millennials. It is about Marianne who “lives in the white mansion
with the driveway and that Connell’s mother is a cleaner,” and Connell. They “get”
each other and stay in touch through (high) school and university, never
committing as a couple, but never separating. I didn’t get it, but obviously, I’m
not a Millennial, and coming of age is more something for my grandchildren.
They grow up in Carricklea, a small town on
the rural west coast of Ireland. In school Connell is popular and Marianne is
an outcast, even though they are the two smartest students. In their final
year, they become lovers, but this is never public, and he asks another girl to
Debs (Prom). Marianne doesn’t attend.
She convinces him to apply to Trinity, the
most prestigious college in Ireland (established 1592). They both end up at Trinity
in Dublin. In Dublin, the tables turn. She becomes popular and he is an outcast.
He has unsatisfying girlfriends since he is attached to Marianne. Marianne has
abusive boyfriends but will not reach out to Connell.
They never find anyone better than the other,
but they never get together. Circumstances beyond their control seem to
conspire to keep them apart. Often these circumstances are opportunities: she
spends a year in Sweden and he’s going to New York after graduation.
Their story is a battle between dependence and
independence.
“How strange to feel herself so completely
under the control of another person, but also how ordinary. No one can be
independent of other people completely, so why not give up the attempt, she
thought, go running in the other direction, depend on people for everything,
allow them to depend on you, why not. She knows he loves her, she doesn’t
wonder about that anymore.”
Note: This book is Irish in vocabulary and
location. In Ireland, press means a kitchen cupboard. Also, the dialogue is not
marked with any punctuation, no quotes.
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