As Connell said in their last conversation 'why?'.
Connell and Marianne's tortured lives and relationship had been through many ups and downs. Their mis-understanding of each other's intentions had led to them breaking up before. This was despite them understanding each other better than anyone else and clearly being in love to those watching. Intellectually they were at a different level to everyone around them at school and were drawn to different things to them.
Finally, Marianne is learning how to live a life without her family weighing her down and without the masochistic streak that this had imbued in her. Marianne's mother has thrown her out of the Dublin flat and is living in cramped surroundings with Connell. In a sequence near the end with a friend they are discussing their plans for that evening. Her friend says 'did we get married and become 50 years old?'. Marianne replies 'I actually love it...first year me would be amazed. Look at her she's actually content'.
Connell is getting over his depression. Connell has become the star English student in his year and is lauded for his skill and achievement at a party as Marianne looks on.
They realise that the only times in their lives that they didn't feel lonely was when they had been together. At a New Year Party back in Sligo they show their affection openly in front of all their old school 'friends'. As the New Year is celebrated, they openly declare their love for each other in a straightforward way for the first time.
They are in love, happy and content for the first time in their lives. They have grown up.
And yet, in the final scene they discuss whether Connell should go to New York to take up the place on the creative writing course that he has been offered. Marianne says 'I've been thinking about New York, the offer.... I keep imagining you being there, writing'. This has echoes of earlier episodes when Marianne says she'd like watching Connell having sex with someone else and how she loved watching him play Gallic football. She has always wanted to please him and see him doing the best he can. Perhaps this is the key to the ending - she feels strongly that she shouldn't hold him back.
Connell is clearly reluctant to go, but Marianne pushes him saying 'there's been so much that's been difficult and hard, but this would be difficult and amazing'. She is trying to give him the freedom to do what he wants with his life and what she clearly thinks is the right thing for him. Is this her greatest gift of love, to set him free?
Connell suggests that perhaps she should come to New York with him. She shakes her head and Connell asks the key question 'why?'. Marianne says 'I want to stay here, I want to live the life I'm living...I'm getting better at it'. Whilst Connell is a (the?) major part of that life, the implication is that she wants Connell to go and fulfil is talent. For Marianne it suggests that the peace she has found in her life is what is most important to her.
Connell suggests that it's only a year and he'll be back. Marianne says 'don't promise that, you don't know'. Connell says 'I'm never going to feel the same way about anyone else'.
There are strong echoes of the film Cinema Paradiso in this ending for Connell. Is it more important to pursue your passion in life, your talent (creative writing in Connell's case) or should you potentially sacrifice all of that for the love of your life? If you can't have both, which should you choose?
What we are left with is the strong sense that Connell will go to New York and pursue his creative dream; that their relationship has reached its pinnacle and is the greatest love they will experience in their lifetimes. They have found their safe place to return to in their minds if things go wrong for them even if it doesn't exist in reality anymore. They know what is possible and what to strive for.
However, in all probability they won't be together again. Not unless there is a sequel!
(The sequel to Normal People is a short story called "At the clinic'. This was written before Normal People and the two characters are the same and going through the same sorts of relationships with other people as well as with each other. I think it would be a mistake to carry on that narrative into a second tv series.)
Connell and Marianne's tortured lives and relationship had been through many ups and downs. Their mis-understanding of each other's intentions had led to them breaking up before. This was despite them understanding each other better than anyone else and clearly being in love to those watching. Intellectually they were at a different level to everyone around them at school and were drawn to different things to them.
Finally, Marianne is learning how to live a life without her family weighing her down and without the masochistic streak that this had imbued in her. Marianne's mother has thrown her out of the Dublin flat and is living in cramped surroundings with Connell. In a sequence near the end with a friend they are discussing their plans for that evening. Her friend says 'did we get married and become 50 years old?'. Marianne replies 'I actually love it...first year me would be amazed. Look at her she's actually content'.
Connell is getting over his depression. Connell has become the star English student in his year and is lauded for his skill and achievement at a party as Marianne looks on.
They realise that the only times in their lives that they didn't feel lonely was when they had been together. At a New Year Party back in Sligo they show their affection openly in front of all their old school 'friends'. As the New Year is celebrated, they openly declare their love for each other in a straightforward way for the first time.
They are in love, happy and content for the first time in their lives. They have grown up.
And yet, in the final scene they discuss whether Connell should go to New York to take up the place on the creative writing course that he has been offered. Marianne says 'I've been thinking about New York, the offer.... I keep imagining you being there, writing'. This has echoes of earlier episodes when Marianne says she'd like watching Connell having sex with someone else and how she loved watching him play Gallic football. She has always wanted to please him and see him doing the best he can. Perhaps this is the key to the ending - she feels strongly that she shouldn't hold him back.
Connell is clearly reluctant to go, but Marianne pushes him saying 'there's been so much that's been difficult and hard, but this would be difficult and amazing'. She is trying to give him the freedom to do what he wants with his life and what she clearly thinks is the right thing for him. Is this her greatest gift of love, to set him free?
Connell suggests that perhaps she should come to New York with him. She shakes her head and Connell asks the key question 'why?'. Marianne says 'I want to stay here, I want to live the life I'm living...I'm getting better at it'. Whilst Connell is a (the?) major part of that life, the implication is that she wants Connell to go and fulfil is talent. For Marianne it suggests that the peace she has found in her life is what is most important to her.
Connell suggests that it's only a year and he'll be back. Marianne says 'don't promise that, you don't know'. Connell says 'I'm never going to feel the same way about anyone else'.
There are strong echoes of the film Cinema Paradiso in this ending for Connell. Is it more important to pursue your passion in life, your talent (creative writing in Connell's case) or should you potentially sacrifice all of that for the love of your life? If you can't have both, which should you choose?
What we are left with is the strong sense that Connell will go to New York and pursue his creative dream; that their relationship has reached its pinnacle and is the greatest love they will experience in their lifetimes. They have found their safe place to return to in their minds if things go wrong for them even if it doesn't exist in reality anymore. They know what is possible and what to strive for.
However, in all probability they won't be together again. Not unless there is a sequel!
(The sequel to Normal People is a short story called "At the clinic'. This was written before Normal People and the two characters are the same and going through the same sorts of relationships with other people as well as with each other. I think it would be a mistake to carry on that narrative into a second tv series.)