Sally Rooney’s television series Normal People came out in 2020, however, it continues to have lasting impacts on its viewers, including your two arts columnists, who recently watched the show together. The couple’s personal growth is not only a central theme but is also intricately woven into the narrative of love and self-discovery. Through the complex relationship of Marianne and Connell, Rooney explores how individuals evolve through their emotional connections, highlighting the chaos and imperfections inherent in both love and personal transformation. Unlike the idealized love stories often depicted in mainstream media, Normal People emphasizes the complicated, often painful journey of understanding oneself and one’s partner. By focusing on the authentic and flawed nature of their relationship, Rooney crafts a narrative that resonates with audiences, making it not just a love story, but a powerful reflection on the process of growth, both within and beyond relationships.
Normal People, set during the post-2008 Irish economic downturn from 2011-2015, follows the relationship between Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron from their final days in secondary school to their undergraduate years in Trinity College. Sheridan spends secondary school being considered weird and unpopular while Waldron is a part of the more popular friend group. As they grow up and go to college, the roles reverse. Sheridan finds her place and people as Waldron struggles making friends. However, Sheridan goes out of her way to make him feel included, contrasting with how he treated her around his friends in high school.
Waldron’s growth is marked by his gradual struggle to overcome emotional restraint, learning that intimacy requires communication – something he initially resists due to the peer pressure of his friends. In contrast, Marianne’s journey is about unlearning self-loathing and finding worth in herself, a process deeply shaped by her toxic family dynamics and her intellectual detachment from her emotions. Both characters’ transformations are complicated, non-linear, and often painful, which is what makes them so relatable. As The Millions points out, their growth is not about achieving a perfect resolution but about grappling with their imperfections and learning to navigate their own emotional landscapes.
Normal People unapologetically displays the pain that comes with love. Although the couple had a strong foundation, viewers watch it slowly crumble as arguments of futures, lack of communication, and imbalances between their lives grow present. As this series leaves its audience heartbroken, the ending represents the inevitable collapse of many first loves in the real world, making the pain of the characters resonate with the people watching. This heartbreaking series hits home for many people watching. Normal People is different from other series and movies as it truly describes the realistic relationships of “normal people” everywhere.
