*Spoilers Ahead!*
Normal People. This 12-episode mini-series, based on Sally Rooney’s wonderfully crafted narrative, navigates the on-and-off relationship between two heartbreakingly normal people. But what is a normal person? The catalytic moments in a person’s life all influence the way a person reacts. So, if everyone acts and reacts differently, can we really consider anyone ‘normal’? The soul-shattering and very real ending of this show leaves nothing, and yet everything, to be desired. The origin of Connell and Marianne’s bond set the couple up for a relationship filled with friendship, miscommunication, turmoil, and a type of heartbreak that many of us know all too well. All of these aspects make up the vexing yet incredibly relatable series that is Normal People.
The start of Connell and Marianne’s relationship can aptly be described by the lyricism in Taylor Swift’s All Too Well. Swift sings “You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.” To Connell, Marianne is all but a ghost in the hallways during the school day. But when they are alone, the relationship comes alive. Whilst Connell may feel that privatising the relationship is best for them both, it is evident that his unintentionally selfish ego cares more for his status in school than it does for the vulnerable girl that he has become deeply involved with. Fast forward a few years, Marianne reveals to Connell that the secrecy of his love had a deep effect on her already dwindling self-worth. You may ask, “why didn’t she say something to him?” But that is exactly the sentiment of this show.
The lack of communication between these high school lovers is not something that is only applicable to young love, but to all romantic love. Connell loves deeply but quietly, and reciprocity is all Marianne is able to offer. Her lack of self-worth and deep fear of losing Connell prompts Marianne to make silent compromises for the sake of the relationship, eventually leading to internalised resentment and the failure of the relationship. That is what makes Normal People so jarringly real; no matter the age, we can all find a piece of ourselves in this relationship. Who hasn’t bit their tongue instead of saying what they really feel, or on the contrary, said something they should not have in a moment of unbridled anger? For such academically gifted and intellectual characters, some of their actions are rather stupid, in all honesty. But then again, they are just normal people. They display an authenticity that the viewer can recognise as a painstakingly accurate portrayal of human interaction.
Grieving what could have been, the yearning for an experience that never happened. This is most present in the final moments of the series – a heartbreakingly accurate representation of normal people in a normal relationship. The viewer is forced to reconcile with the fact that situations in life don’t always have a happy ending, but one must be okay in accepting that. A raw moment of honesty and normalcy. There is a lack of communication, which is the underlying issue between Marianne and Connell. This consistent failure to communicate makes the viewer want to scream at their viewing device and tell the characters to just use their words. Communicate! But it is also in these moments that human nature is displayed at its finest. The ending scene provides closure to the sadness, contentment, fury, and vulnerability that ebbs and flows throughout the series.
The characters are finally communicating, and their true emotions are finally perceptible to each other, but a heavy melancholy is carefully woven into the scene. It feels as though the viewer can finally be at peace but it also leaving us yearning for that happy ending often broadcasted in movies and television shows. Interestingly, Marianne’s response to Connell’s final ‘I love you’ is “I know.” This simple response, in juxtaposition to the raw emotion of the scene, provides a moment of reflection. A moment for the audience to look back on the time the couple spent together. A moment for the audience to think about their own relationships, the heartfelt times, and the heartbreaking ones. Two simple words, laced with a forlorn knowingness that nothing will ever be the same between them. Within those two words, Marianne is acknowledging that all the poor decisions made and all the silent wars they fought were out of love – an authentically childish love, for they were too young to know how to love in any other way.
So, can we really consider anyone ‘normal’? Yes and no. We are all different, our experiences and choices make us who we are. But maybe there are more things than just death and taxes that are unavoidable in this life. Emotions: emotions are what make us normal, and emotions are what connect us. Normal People may be a fictional story, but the characters are very real. Their experiences are ones that happen frequently behind the closed doors of many relationships. Perhaps we are all just masochists, because why do we crave love if it pains us so much? Hurt people hurt people. Marianne and Connell’s relationship proves to be a perfect representation of this. One might call Normal People a horror series, because the most frightening part of watching it is realising that the characters are really a representation of us. They are truly just… normal people.
After finding out that one of my favourite books – Normal People by Sally Rooney – was now a television series, I was elated. The show perfectly encapsulated the human condition just the way the book had. Despite it being my favourite book, at the time, I was too young to truly appreciate the concepts presented in it. Now, with (limited but slightly more) life experience, I can understand the show’s demonstration of the raw emotions of humanity – something which I am certain all readers or viewers will come to acknowledge too.
