If you haven’t watched Normal People, you need to. It’s one of the best shows out right now – one that will move you to the depths of your soul. Sure, there is a lot of sex in the show, but that’s not why people are loving it.
People are loving it because it’s an amazing adaptation based off an amazing book of the same name. The writing is outstanding. The show is shot beautifully. The acting is some of the best that we’ve seen.
And you can’t help but fall in love with Marianne and Connell. The chemistry between the two actors playing them – Paul and Daisy. You are drawn into their world. You see their ups and downs. You see them together and apart.
And you know that you will do anything to see there two succeed. You’re on the ride – the ups and downs, the ins and outs. Sink or swim – you will go down with this ship.
DUMB ASS KIDS
I will admit that I didn’t like Marianne and Connell at first. She didn’t think that she was worthy of everyone knowing that they were together. He was an idiot and agreed to be with her as long as no one knew. He was worried about his reputation.
And for that I hated him Because if you want to be with someone, have the courage to admit you are with them.
Marianne and Connell are both in a moment in their life where they are being shaped in the world, but it’s up to them how they are shaped. And if they are choosing the world around them to shape their emotions – versus each other, it’s a sad thing.
And trust me – they act on that sad thing.
Connell dumps Marianne because everyone finds out about them. Marianne becomes destroyed.
And you leave this point in the story, hating them. You hate that Marianne let herself be put in this position. You hate that Connell being a dumb ass is hurting the both of them.
And to be honest, you hate both of them at this moment. But isn’t that the sign of a good story, that you find yourself so emotionally involved in the characters that it is all you can see?
The way that they hurt when they part each other, the way Connell looks as though he lost part of his soul, you know you’re emotionally invested. You know that you would do anything to make it happen.
Them together it is.
You’re in deep. You have fallen in love. You will go down with this ship.
TOO AFRAID TO BE HONEST
Sometimes letting go is the hardest emotion. Sometimes it’s what a person has to do in order to find their way back to the person that they love and were meant to be with.
Connell and Marianne have moved on from each other. School is behind them. They are in college. They are both living their lives.
And you kind expect them to be over and done. But here’s the thing about expectations – they will not always work out. But at the same point – if you don’t have them, there is nothing to look forward to.
And like any good love story, you’re going to be drawn in. You’ve found yourself handing your heart over to these two and telling them that no matter what happens, you’re going to be there.
Marianne and Connell’s love for each other is deep. And you see that the moment that they run back into each other at college. She’s got a boyfriend, who turns out is Connell’s friend.
And when they see each other, you see a part of them come back to life. The way that they find themselves drawn back to each other and how they try to disguise it – you know that these two will find their way back to each other.
And you’re in it for the long haul. You’re in it for every part of your being.
You know that they will go through the ups and downs, they will be with other people, they will watch each other make their mistakes and they will try to save each other from it. They will act as though nothing is wrong, they will try to be supportive, but when it comes down to it – they won’t be able to stop themselves from protecting each other.
When they find their way to each other, you know it’s going to be beautiful.
When Marianne’s current boyfriend treats her like she’s a peace of shit, Connell isn’t going to stand for it. He’s going to be there to protect her. He’s going to be there to make sure that she knows that she is not alone.
The beauty of the two of them is that there is intimacy in every moment. From protecting each other, glances, hugs, fights, love – everything is a moment where they celebrate each other.
Even if they don’t know that they are.
Connell and Marianne are a beautiful couple no matter what the status of their relationship. They feel safe with each other. They cheer each other on.
And sometimes they are dumb asses that don’t know how to communicate. Both live in fear of hurting the other one, but also in fear of rejection of the other.
They love each other and love is the scariest word that someone can feel. Love is this emotion that is powerful, but for Connell and Marianne is the scariest thing in the world.
But the beauty of fear is that you can move past it. You can find yourself hugging the person that you love when they are down. You can find yourself laying next to them and knowing that you want to protect them and that sex isn’t the answer.
You can love them enough to wait for them.
You can love them enough to be supportive – no matter if their choices are good or bad. But you also want them to do the obvious – be honest with each other.
Honesty isn’t always easy, I guess. Honesty requires vulnerability and though at moments these two are afraid to be honest with each other, but you know that they are honest with each other, just by their looks.
When Connell and Marianne find their way back to each other, it’s one of those relationships that you see a future, even when these two are afraid of the moments of the past.
They have trouble giving up their worlds, because it’s where they are comfortable. But watching these two fight and makeup, avoid things, talk about things – you know that they don’t always need to say the words, to find the words they need.
Connell and Marianne are always there for each other. He gets into a fight, she’s there to clean up the blood and get him home. She gets her nose broken, he’s there. It doesn’t matter what it is – they are there.
Even when they could be selfish, the two are selfless. They want the best for each other, even at the sacrifice of their own.
And it is a beautiful thing.
SEXUAL DIFFERENCES
These two have a lot of sex and I am not hating on it. Like everyone should have as much sex as they want to as long as it’s consensual.
These two have spent a lot of time finding their way finding their way back to friendship and both are scared to say exactly what they want. Because vulnerability is a scary thing.
Vulnerability is the scariest of emotions, but for Connell and Marianne it’s this fear that they will end up apart again. Can they live with opening their hearts and the possibility that they will be rejected.
But when they let down their guard and the allow each other to love each other, it’s as if you can believe in love again.
It’s as if you know it’s a possibility.
But what they both want is still two different things. Marianne wants to know she’s his. He’s not in an emotional place to give that or say that. But ultimately for these two – the understandings and the misunderstandings aren’t the beginning or ending of their story.
It’s a part of it.
And it’s a beautiful thing that signifies that they are growing.
Always growing.
What they want out from their sexual relationship may be two different things, but the way that they meld together and move in sync tells me that they’ve never needed each other more.
It will always be Marianne and Connell. No matter if they are together apart – they will always be two pieces of the same soul wandering around in two bodies.
I WILL NEVER LET ANYONE HURT YOU
Marianne has the crappiest home life and you can’t help but feel bad for her. She takes it all like a champ, but also like no one should ever have to. You see her and you know that she knows that she’s strong because that’s the only choice that she has.
But what Connell reminds her of is that she’s never alone. She’s never going to be alone. When her brother breaks her nose and she calls Connell, he is right there. He doesn’t care about the arguements. He loves her.
And he’s going to make sure that she knows it.
I’ve never been more convinced watching anything that an actor meant the words coming out of his mouth. Paul became Connell and you would think that both of him – the person and the character – was really in love with Marianne.
The way they know instinctively that they can count on each other makes me believe in each other.
And that is beautiful.
LET HIM GO
Love is this weird thing. It makes you feel lonely and it makes you feel complete. But for Marianne and Connell they’ve spent so much time denying or avoiding feelings, that for them, it’s a little easier than admitting that they need each other.
Connell and Marianne have spent a lot of time finding themselves and each one has been a catalyst for growth in the other. They want each other to succeed. They want each other to grow.
For Marianne, when she finds out Connell got accepted to go to school in New York – she knew one thing. She was going to do whatever it took for him to find and chase his dreams. Whatever she was left with – she would deal with.
But sometimes loving someone is letting them go. She’s spent what feels like a lifetime watching him come and go, but she’s believed one thing – she will always love him.
But maybe she’s not good for him right now.
So she lets him go.
He tells her that she should come. But she doesn’t want to. She wants to stay. I mean – if we’re being honest, I think that Marianne needed to find herself, by herself. And for her – after loosing her family, she didn’t want to saddle Connell with all of her emotional baggage.
She wanted to find her own strength.
And so in letting him go she knew she would. And for Connell – agreeing to go he would find his way. But these two showed the ultimate love, the reason that you’ll be rooting for them – because they loved each other enough to let them go.
And as with all of the times that they let each other go, they have always found their way back.
And you hope that they will.
Because these two belong together and we will down with this ship.
