Normal People

Why is Connell drawn to Helen Brophy, his girlfriend for a time? How does their relationship differ from his relationship with Marianne? What ultimately drives them apart? 

Politics and social issues are a part of the background of this novel. The author alludes to the 2008 financial crisis, and Connell and Marianne are engaged with the issues of their day, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. How does the novel’s concern with power imbalances and social justice manifests itself in the story of Connell’s and Marianne’s romance?

Both Connell and Marianne come from unconventional, single-parent families. How does this shape their attitudes toward more traditional, “normal” families? How does the author seem to view convention and traditional families in general? 

Marianne has a self-negating, masochistic side, as Connell comes to realize. How has her background led her to become this way? How have she and Connell come to terms with her damage? 

Marianne and Connell must navigate the different social environments of Trinity College and Carricklea. How are these environments distinct from one another, and how do Marianne and Connell react to them differently? How do they react to them similarly? 

The news of Rob’s suicide devastates Connell, causing him to fall into a suicidal depression himself. Why does Connell react this way, given that he and Rob have not been in touch for many years and were never especially close friends to begin with? What does Rob represent to Connell, and how does Connell fear becoming like Rob?

What draws Connell and Marianne to one another, beyond physical attraction? How are they similar in spite of their different personas, styles, and backgrounds?

Denise is a peripheral character in the book but a central, destructive force in Marianne’s life. What drives her to act in the way that she does toward her daughter, especially considering that she herself is a victim of abuse?