End of Normal People, Explained

THE Normal people the ending is emotional and ambiguous, as the future of Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal) and Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is left hanging. The BBC miniseries is a clever adaptation of Sally Rooney’s 2018 novel that follows the characters as they fall in love in high school but are from different social backgrounds, with him being popular and her being an outsider, which forces them to see each other in secret. Connell and Marianne have a complicated and sometimes painful relationship as they get back together in college but struggle to be open and comfortable in the relationship.

It makes sense to expect that in the series’ final episode Connell and Marianne will remain together, but given the dark tone of the book and the TV adaptation, a truly happy conclusion didn’t seem likely. Although the couple love each other and have difficulty opening up and relating to other romantic partners, they do not find their relationship simpler, which makes a carefree, happy ending seem unrealistic. The final scene of Normal people it hints at what might happen in the future, but it’s a pretty mysterious way to end the story.

What happens at the end of normal people?

Normal People’s Ending Reflects Connell and Marianne’s Character Growth

In the end, Connell tells Marianne that he will go to New York to do an MFA program in Creative Writing, and Marianne tells him that she will continue to live in Dublin. The fact that they both make their own choices here shows that they have grown since the beginning of the story. Since Connell and Marianne are only 21 years old, they ultimately showed signs of codependency and are unable to separate themselves. Now, however, they are listening to their instincts and following their dreams.

The characters treat each other well in this final episode, as after Marianne enjoys Christmas at Connell’s house, she is proud of him for being accepted into the MFA program and encourages him to live the life he wants to lead. Since they will live so far away, she says that a long-distance romance would be a bad idea, but they will be together in a year and see if there is still any chemistry or spark. This contrasts with the petty arguments and negative emotions the two previously shared. in the series.

Normal people is a strong series for young adults because The characters have intense feelings and conversations that explore this strange and confusing time in their lives. Previously, Marianne was jealous of Connell’s girlfriend Helen Brophy (Aoife Hinds), and Marianne and Connell are not honest about still being in love. In episode 12, they manage to share that they care deeply about each other, but they know it’s not the right time to be together. At the beginning of the series, it doesn’t seem like they would be able to approach the future in such a mature way.

Do Connell and Marianne end up together in the book?

Normal People Romance Reveals Even Less

As the TV series gives more information, when comparing Normal people For the book, the TV ending offers the opportunity to reflect on how the characters have changed. In the novel, Connell has the opportunity to study writing through a master’s program at Cornell in Ithaca, but he does not make his choice.

In the show, Connell will go to New York and Marianne will stay in Dublin. It’s smart to explain what each character wants to do, which makes the TV show’s ending much stronger than the novel’s conclusion. While ambiguous TV show endings can work for some genres, they can be frustrating in a romantic drama.

However, both endings have the same melancholic tone and the feeling is the same: the strong characters of Normal people are not currently together and will wait to make a more permanent choice about whether to get together again. In both circumstances, the characters appreciate what they meant to each otheralthough it seems that Marianne was the one who changed the most as a result of their relationship. After growing up in a lonely home with her strict mother, Denise (Aislín McGuckin), and her abusive brother, Alan (Frank Blake), Marianne thought no one could love her.

Before Normal peopleSally Rooney wrote a short story called At the clinic which was published in The white review in 2016, and portrays what happens to Marianne and Connell. They see each other again when they are 23 and Connell accompanies Marianne to the dentist while she has her wisdom teeth removed.

The characters have just ended other relationships and realized they still love each other. Rooney was inspired by this short story to write his novel, and although the story came first, it is possible to see it right after the end of his novel.

The impact of changing aspects of the book’s ending

The changes made the end of normal people better

If the ending of the book hadn’t been changed, episode 12 of Normal people it would not have had the same impact. It would be a shame not to find out what Connell wants to do, as he has become a more confident person throughout his college years and no longer wants to run away from his feelings. Like other great miniseries adapted from novels, creative decisions had to be made as what works on the page can look lackluster on the small screen. What seems like a poetic conclusion in a book can seem unfinished in a TV series.

If Normal people ended before Connell realized he wanted to move away to study writing, he didn’t seem to have grown that much as a character, and neither did Marianne for telling him that, of course, he should go. This is the perfect conclusion because by sharing her thoughts on accepting the MFA, she is thanking him for what he taught her and letting him know that she will be fine without him.

The true meaning of the end of normal people

The central theme of Normal People is that love isn’t all that matters

The end of Normal people suggests that while love is important, so are identity, independence and achieving dreams. The real, relatable moments in Normal people flesh out these characters, whether they’re breaking up when they still love each other or accepting that they’ll never feel comfortable being vulnerable with others.

It would be easy for Marianne to tell Connell that she would go with him to New York so they could continue their romance, but she knows that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. There may be anger or resentment if she goes with him, and she doesn’t want to go through that.

The characters in Normal people learn a hard but valuable lesson about doing what will make them happy, not following other people, and staying honest. The ending conveys the message that youth is difficult and painful and sometimes people meet for a reason, but This doesn’t mean they will always remain in each other’s lives, and that’s okay.

Will there be a season 2 of Normal People?

Daisy Edgar-Jones gives some hope

Although many people feel that the end of Normal people It was adequate, which didn’t stop fans from demanding that the story continue. There are still doubts about whether Normal people Season 2 is a possibility, although there has never been any confirmation. It has seemed less likely in recent years, as the success of the two main opened up about his future in Hollywood, including Paul Mescal in the next Gladiator 2 and Daisy Edgar-Jones recently found box office success with Twisted.

However, there is some recent hope for the show’s future, as Edgar-Jones shared his Normal people season 2 thoughts:

I love these characters. It would be wonderful to explore them again. If [Rooney] If you want to write a new story, who knows… Keep it open. Always open.

While it’s hardly a confirmation of anything official, the idea that the right material could bring the lead actors together is exciting. There is a question of whether a second season would ruin the story’s impact and where it left off. The show seemed to end with the idea that it’s okay to experience love with someone, even if it doesn’t last. Seeing these two characters get a second chance with each other is kind of a fly in the ointment.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a story worth exploring, picking up Marianne and Connell years later. Seeing who they are at a different time in their lives and how they feel about their relationship can be a fascinating way to further explore this complex romance. While it may not be something that develops quickly, the promise of this idea becomes more exciting the more time passes since the end of Normal people. If fans get the chance to revisit Marianne and Connell, it could enrich an already beautiful series.

How Normal People’s Ending Was Received

The public liked the open ending

Some fans started Reddit thread discussing the end of Normal people. The open ending left it open for people to bring their own theories about what happened, with the OP asking: “What do you think, are there any clues hidden in their conversation about what perhaps the meaning of their possible post-end life is?“This led some commentators to say that the future relationship was not the purpose of the story, and the ending being completely open-ended tied the story together perfectly:

“I think the ending really brought Marianne and Connell’s story to a fitting conclusion. No matter what happens between them next, the events we’ve seen on this show are the foundational experiences that defined who they are and what they mean to each other.​​​​​“

Others agreed with the sentiment, while admitting they were invested in the characters. One Redditor said he was left with “a disturbing and confusing feeling at the end,“while mentioning that”It felt like closure.and.” It was a much deeper ending than many TV shows, which is probably why it was critically acclaimed, with a Certified Fresh critic rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and an even higher audience score of 92% on Popcornmeter.

When reviewing Normal people on Rotten tomatoesone of the audience reviewers explained why not getting a happy ending with the two finally getting together worked out so well for the series. “The ending left me a little disappointed, but that’s because we all love happy endings, and that’s not how life works. He finally got the opportunity he so deserved.”