Normal People, by Sally Rooney (Copy)

Sally Rooney’s critically acclaimed novel Normal People and the subsequent BBC TV adaptation realistically depicts men’s mental health and Ireland’s suicide epidemic. The story follows the love story of Marianne and Connell, an unlikely pair, who meet in school and then journey to university together. Connell’s mental health begins to deteriorate when he moves away from home and begins university in Dublin. He starts to miss his old life back in Sligo and becomes disengaged with university. This is escalated further when he hears the news that his school friend Rob has died by suicide. Connell is overwhelmed with guilt that he didn’t text Rob back and plays over in his mind that he didn’t see him enough. 

Actor Paul Mescal’s portrayal of Connell is brilliant, especially in a very powerful scene where he speaks to a counsellor for the first time. Connell wishes he could have his old life back, with Rob and his school friends in Sligo. Following this heartbreaking scene, Connell gets help from his counsellor to process his grief for Rob as well as his treatment for depression. This is a refreshing watch as we rarely see the handling of men’s mental health issues in mainstream media representations. 

 We believe that the events and themes that take place in Normal People could be familiar to those affected by suicide and could provide comfort to viewers who are bereaved. What Normal People does brilliantly is depict how to try to move forward with grief and how to accept what your life has now become. We can look back on our memories of that person that passed away and be happy that they were in our lives in the first place.