The object of the present text is to discuss about the narrative strategy used by the narrator that make clear Connell’ needs.

First of all I have singled out any expressions in the chapter (APRIL 2011) about what Connell, the main protagonist of the novel, wants to listen from Marianne and to draw considerations about the way he relates to her. It is a way to find out about the nature of men’s expectations in a relationship, and later on to compare them with women’s expectations. This will help knowing more about human relationship.

According to Connell’s and Marianne’s interactions, Connell’s body language and his inner thoughts in the novel, the intelligent reader may draw some considerations about the way he relates to Marianne. The considerations I have singled out in the chapter are the following:

APRIL 2011 

p. 47: “Connell texted Marianne: fg in government, fucks sake. she texted back: The party of Franco. He had to look up what that meant”.

COMMENT: Connell always needs Marianne’s approval because he is insecure and tentative since they belong to different social classes. In addition, he used the poll’s pretext to text her because he wants Marianne presence in his life.

p. 47: “The other night Marianne told him that she thought he’d turned out well as a person. She said he was nice, and that everyone liked him. He found himself thinking about that a lot. It was a pleasant thing to have in his thought.”

COMMENT: the phrase reported highlights the importance of Marianne’s thoughts for Connell who need his qualities are repeated and underlined and the importance to be well appreciated by Marianne (which is his purpose).

p. 48: “The other night Marianne told him this thing about her family” “Connell started telling her that he loved her. she was crying and everything and he just said it without thinking. Was it true? He didn’t know enough to know that. “

“ It wasn’t the first time he’d had the urge to tell Marianne that he loved her”

COMMENT: the extract underlines Connell is insecure, tentative and that he always searches for confirmations, indeed he thinks about what he has said.

p. 49: “He noticed how long it took her to say anything in response, and how her pause had bothered him, as if she might not say it back, and when she did say it felt better, but maybe that meant nothing.”

COMMENT: here it is clear Connell’s need to know what Marianne feels about him. It comes to surface Connell’s insecurity, his necessity to be approved and not to have say something the other person not share. Moreover, he wants Marianne says she loves his to be secure about her feelings, to be sure he does not feel something she does not agree.