Normal People Summary

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Normal People Book Summary and Quotes

Have you ever felt not-welcomed somewhere? Is ‘What people are going think about you?’ your first priority? Have you ever felt like you need to hide a part of yourself to be accepted by people? If any of these statements have ever come to your mind, you will perfectly resonate with the characters from ‘Normal People’ by Sally Rooney. Here Normal People Summary for you.

Normal People by Sally Rooney : Brief Introduction

‘Normal People includes themes like societal acceptance standards, friendships, complexities, and love. It’s people who just want to be ‘Normal’, and not feel like an oddball. Being an acceptable person, who people talk to, who people give a second glance, and not be treated as background noise. But either you could live up to society’s standard or you could be comfortable in your own skin. It’s a choice between accepting yourself or being accepted by others.

It’s a story of how people want to be ‘Normal’ and hide the parts of themselves they despise. Read Normal People Summary to understand it better.

Normal People Book Characters

There are two main characters Connell and Marianne.

Marianne is the oddball in school with no friends. She is just an unnoticed element in everyone’s eyes. No one knows much of her. Due to her mysteriousness and general uninterest rumors are flown about her. All sorts of odd rumors. She is an average-looking girl and boys at school make sure she knows it by spatting insults at her. She comes from riches but her family couldn’t be worse. A dead father, a demoralizing mother, and an abusive brother Alan.

Connell is the popular guy, everyone at school seems to like him. He is smart, plays sports, and good looking. His mother Lorraine works as a housekeeper at Marianne’s house. He lives a typical middle-class life with a single mother. He is a man made up of people’s opinions. He doesn’t want to be an oddball and won’t let anything hinder his image. He mostly hides who he is and puts up a mask around people in school. He often feels out of place within his own self, and not in his element.

The plot starts out when Connell and Marianne are in school. Connell often goes to Marianne’s house to pick up her mother. Connell feels totally exposed in front of Marianne as she can see through his deceptions. They both have been mutually attracted to each other since the beginning. When Marianne confesses to taking a liking for Connell, they start out their relationship.

Although Connell asks her to not tell anybody about it. They have more of a friends-with-benefits relationship. In school, they pretend to not know each other but in a closed room, Connell whispers sweet nothings in her ear. They even apply for the same college. Although when Connell takes Karen to the school part, Marianne cuts him off.

Time skips and they meet again after months at a college peer’s party. Marianne is no longer the oddball rather now she is a fairly popular girl. She has many friends and a boyfriend. She doesn’t hold any grudge against him and they once again become friends. Connell on the other hand is the one who starts to feel like an oddball now. The class difference between the rich kids and him is evidently clear.

He manages to befriend people in Marianne’s circle but he isn’t particularly fond of anyone. He is protective and caring towards Marianne but can’t bring himself to admit it. They don’t remain friends for long, and start sleeping with each other again. Connell is completely at peace when he is with Marianne but the class difference and the societal opinions bind him. Marianne has always been clear in her liking towards him but she just accepts the pieces he offers to her.

They dance around like this for a long time. Not together but never apart. They even have relationships with other people. Marianne’s second boyfriend Jamie and Connell’s girlfriend Helen. They seem to be happy with their respective partners but something always seems off. Connell feels ‘Normal’ and ‘Acceptable’ being with Helen. Their life moves on and the uncertainty of the future, toxic families, and general complexities shape them.

They play the cat and mouse game for a long time almost seven years. Connell has this power over Marianne that she can’t resist and he is just too scared of being judged if he dates the ‘oddball’. It takes a friend’s death, depression, toxic partners, and a lot of time for both of them just to find their way to each other.

Normal People Book Ending Explained

In the end, they finally seem to come to their senses. Although when Marianne expresses that she wishes to be hurt, Connell pulls back and refuses to do so. Later he gets a call from her and rushes to Marianne’s house, only to discover that Marianne’s brother; Alan has broken Marianne’s nose. A wave of protectiveness washes over him and he tends to her wounds. Marianne never returns home after that day.

Normal People Summary

They finally come to their senses and accept their mutual liking for each other. Time skips and now Marianne has a job and Connell is a writer. Connell now openly admits his deep love for her and only her. When Connell receives an opportunity to study further in New York, he is skeptical to leave Marianne but she convinces him to go. Because no matter what, she knows she’ll always be there for him.

It’s a story of how two people who have always belonged together overcome expectations, opinions, and judgment to be completely themselves.

This was the whole Normal People Summary. A beautifully simplistic yet impactful story.