NORMAL PEOPLE: SECTION “THREE MONTHS LATER” (MARCH 2014)

• The main character of the chapter is Connell, the second one is the psychologist, while Marianne appears thorough Connell’s flashbacks.
• In the very first part, Connell is going to attend a psychological therapy, because he feels bad about his friend’s suicide and about his future and because a friend of him, Niall, suggested to go and it was gratis.
• Connell has not got any clear/definite idea of his future and he thinks he has no possibility about it.
• Marianne was the only one who could understand him in depth, she is considered as a way of survival for him. She appears in the chapter through a Connell’s flashback when the psychologist asked him if he was in a relationship. The question of the psychologist underlines the importance of having somebody next to you, who can comfort you and make you feel better.
• Flashback: Helen went mad and jealous because Connell was staring at Marianne.
• How does Connell express his jealousy in the book? Mainly by his body language or by comparing himself with the other guys Marianne is dating with. For example, in a particular e-mail sent to Marianne about her new boyfriend, he tends to compare himself with the new boy, underlining he himself is better. On the other side, women are jealous because they want to be unique.
• The narrator underlines the different behaviors between Marianne and Helen, mainly using telling.
• Which is the most frequent narrative strategies that allows the reader to understand what is going on with Connell? The body language, which is particularly important in analyzing how a character is presented. Indeed, Connell and men in general reacts more visually and with their body, while women tend to hide reactions. In addition, men prefer to avoid speaking, while women have the tendency to do it.
• Taking into account the features of the Modern novel, the extract is an example of how the novelist makes use of past and flashback. So, the novel accepts a simultaneous concept of time and not a linear one. Indeed, all time exist in people’s mind. Consequently, past and present exist together in Connell’s mind and therefore he is able to make flashbacks. This is an example of the new way of writing.
• At page 205, the reader makes the text since he has to fill in the missing writing products.
• There is a 3^rd person narrator who speaks from Connell’s point of view, but the reader can gradually make a clearer idea of Connell.
• The object of this chapter is to underline Connell’s self-analysis and selfishness (being selfish is a way to define one’s identity). Connell is selfish because he cannot find a solution to the bad-living in the interactions with other people. So, he is selfish to survive his bad-being, but he also wants to be helped.
• Connell and Marianne are not able to make themselves understood and to say each other clearly their feelings. This underlines communication is very important in every relationship and sometimes relationships are difficult because of our difficulty in communication. Connell and Marianne communicate with their body language, but the body is not enough, even sometimes it helps.