ALSO ALSO the thing about the Communist Manifesto is that Marianne sort of condescendingly suggests that Connell reads it, and he says he already has, making Marianne admit that she hadn't. I think this goes to show how for Connell, the class disparity is a lived experience for him, something he's already familiar with, whereas for Marianne class disparity is more of an intellectual and academic venture.
Not just an intellectual venture but one that she hasn't even started to look into. She has no way to relate to Connell about their class disparity, even intellectually, because she simply hasn't done the research. And then for her to suggest that he read the Communist Manifesto as though his lived experience of being poor in a poor town wouldn't be enough in the face of her just knowing about the book, not even having read it yet, shows Marianne's privilege, and distance from her peers, far better than just how big her house is.
@@PandoraRoman All of this, but just on the class distinctions - I wouldn't say Connell's 'poor', he's working class, and has a uncomfortable but functional lifestyle and homelife. Actual poverty would prevent him being so integrated in community life like the GAA. Neither is the town especially 'poor', it's an average rural Irish village/town - mix of working and mostly lower middle class (+ Marianne's upper middle class family). Sorry for being pedantic if you didn't mean it that literally but just lyk anyway because social class in Ireland isn't that clear, nor has class as a concept been hugely developed here (like it would be in UK). A major reason why I loved Rooney being so explicit about it in this novel.
@@EK-ev3pt You're absolutely right and I should have been more specific. Rooney's depiction of class in this book is stellar and I think I got caught up in the euphoria of replying. Also being from Australia, our class distinctions aren't as developed either but the difference between being working class and living in poverty is obviously immense.
can we all appreciate Sally Rooney for a moment? a person in her 20s giving all these references in her book really requires some high level of intellect! HATS OFF!
The English seminar scenes in the show took me right back to first year, like they were always split into pretentious students who wanted to sound really clever and the quiet ones who would rather gouge their own eyes out than make a contribution
What about the students who couldn’t help but talk? I was always that kid who just couldn’t shut up… to the point the professor had to say “someone else?” Honestly I never felt smart talking, I just couldn’t stand the awkward silence 😅
I am so glad that someone else sees the Sense and Sensibility connection! I’ve been trying to convince anyone who will listen that Normal People is an extremely clever almost retelling of S&S. I agree that the names are similar for a reason. Connell Waldron even rhymes and has the same prosody as Colonel Brandon. In high school, Connell is very much like Willoughby (enjoys Marianne’s attention but doesn’t want to be seen with her in public). However at University he seems to take on the narrative of the Marianne character from S&S - well, Marianne after London. He is lost, out of place, feels devoid of love and unlovable, is forced to confront the hurt his actions have caused and suffers a life threatening illness. Marianne reminds me of Marianne (pre London) from S&S while at high school: desperate for attention, big feelings, acerbic wit and the inability to shield her emotions. At University she takes on some of Eleanor’s inscrutability and seems to embody the fragility of all the ‘lesser mentioned’ characters, like Colonel Brandon’s ward, Eliza, from S&S. I know Normal People is so much more than a retelling, but I love that Rooney’s passion for literature are the life blood of this book. I especially love how she shares her disdain for the alienation and stratification of literature through Connell and his internal monologue at the literary event. Normal People is a marvel! More content like this please!
"Now I'm gonna go full on English student and dive in even though no one asked me to" is such a mood tbh. Great video! I really enjoyed your thoughts on the various pieces of literature. Definitively adding The Fire Next Time to my tbr!
This is one of my favourite videos that I've ever watched!! As an aspiring English student I was really excited to see all of the links you made between the books and the novel/show - I watched the show recently but haven't read the novel yet but I plan to very soon and now I'm even more excited! Xx
I think the thing about "Ulysses" that is important is, yes, it makes a lot of grand allusions to great literature/events in history/etc., but the point is that it conflates these epic moments with moments of the everyday and in effect the ordinary becomes extraordinary. This may be what Rooney is getting at here, this ordinary love story between two normal people walks alongside the myths of the gods. I will also mention that Joyce wrote for the common man, and his text was much more readable for those of his generation than for us these days because they were living in and around the references he was making. That's not to say that it was perfectly legible for everyone back in the day, it's still a complicated text but I also think we shouldn't necessarily focus on the allusions in "Ulysses" too much. Yes, they are important and you will get a lot out of the book if you take the time to understand everything, but you will also get a lot out of it if you just read it as a simple story. I would also posit that perhaps the name-drop of James Joyce in "Normal People" is more so in reference to "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" than to "Ulysses". I feel like Rooney might be positioning Connell as Stephen (the artist as a young man). This becomes particularly relevant when you consider that Joyce's novel follows Stephen through his formative years (through University particularly) while he tries to figure out who he is (*cough cough* like Connell) and because Connell is kind of suggested to be this guy who's going to go on to great things and become an artist as a writer.
What a great insight! I never thought about the allusion to "Ulysses" in this way. Your point about the blurring of the epic and the everyday via which the ordinary becomes extraordinary was beautiful. It's always amazing how much I can learn from a random encounter just as I have learnt from you, dear stranger! Now I want to go and make an another attempt on James Joyce
My English Literature teacher suggested me to read and review Normal People, so thank you for this video - you made me save time to procrastinate - and PLEASE make that Part2 video alive :P
also in “having a coke with you” O’Hara makes a reference to Marcel Duchamp’s painting “Nude Descending a Staircase”, and in Normal People Marianne takes Connell to see another Marcel Duchamp painting! (sad young man on a train) weird little connection!
I like reading books fictional characters have read. It’s how I read Howard’s End which I would describe as the quintessential Edwardian novel. Brilliant.
what an interesting video! I love literature and I've really enjoyed how you approached all the novels that connel reads in normal people 💕 you should definitely upload more content on literature because I feel like you have a lot to say and value to add
Hello there ! I just wanted to come back to your analysis of "Candid" by Voltaire, this book is not a bildungsroman, it's a parody! It's a response to Leibniz who published essays named "Essays of Theodicy" (La Théodicée in French) where he basically argued that everything happens for a reason and things always are as good as they can be. Therefore, Voltaire decided to write this novella in order to lay emphasis on how ridiculous this idea was. I think it does back your parallel, and that it enhances even more the fact that Marianne and Connell were not meant to be in the end. Hope it made sense, you made an amazing job, this is truly an incredible video xx
I’m German and the way English people pronounce “Bildungsroman” is just hilarious haha I simply don’t get why they don’t translate it to something like “educating novel” or something
It's one of those "untranslatable" words ^^ in literary critique it was the German word who coined the idea of what a Bildungsroman represents :) the professor (I don't remember his name of the top of my head) who first properly theorized the Bildungsroman used the word for a very specific kind of book (ie. Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre is a Bildungsroman but later literature is not). Researchers have than used different words for it. In English they have coming-of-age novels, in French we speak of Roman d'apprentissage or de formation (sometimes "d'initiation") and in Italian you'll find "romanzo di formazione". But they usually coexist with the Bildungsroman ^^ so technically every Bildungsroman is a coming-of-age sotry but not every coming-of-age story is a Bildungsroman 🙈 hahaha can you guess I had to research this for my master's thesis? 😂
This was ingenious!! I’m from Sligo (where Carricklea is based!!) and I go to Trinity College, Dublin!! Although I’m in no way an English student, this was SO interesting!! Please do a part 2!!✨✨
My friend actually likened the entirety of Normal People to Atonement by Ian McEwan - which it definitely has a lot of in terms of the different social classes within the relationship (with Connell's mum, Lorraine working for Marianne's family), as well as the jumps in time, the idea of circumstances separating the two characters and so on (obviously without the whole trauma of warfare and the accusations of rape lol). I think that might be an interesting thing to observe in a part two - maybe more as a similarity / reference? Really enjoyed this video - well done! :)
This was so fun to watch and exactly the kind of Normal People deep dive I needed in my life. As a former literature student myself, I’ve been really tempted to do deep dives into Normal People that no one’s looking for. I feel like comparing the book to the show, specifically how the music is used to substitute the inner monologues that you don’t get without a voiceover, would make a fascinating essay topic.
Fun fact: 'In the waiting room' is a poem on the Leaving Cert syllabus which is commonly studied, as Elizabeth Bishop is one of the 8 poets on the curriculum. So another reason why they were studying it in class.
PART 2 PLEASE!!!! I have been out of school for two years and I so so so miss analysing literature like this. Absolutely adored learning about these books. Appreciate all the effort you went to xxxx
I finished normal people a few weeks ago and in the nicest way you are what I imagine Connel to be omfg. As in looks, ur so nice and genuine, and u study English. I mean am I wrong!?
Yes please do a part 2, I loved this video! I looove Normal People, I have actually considered if I could somehow make my bachelor's thesis of it next year, this video & your analysis definitely gave me some food for thought :)
I love this could you do this with other books or tv shows? I know Rory Gilmore reads A LOT of texts in Gilmore Girls but can't think of other examples
This was such a lovely video! I’m currently doing my master’s in medieval history, but considered studying literature for the longest time (also everyone mistook me for an English student) and so it’s lovely to “live through you” in that sense. Thank you!
I‘m going to order Normal People immediately, this video is literally the best thing I‘ve seen in ages. PLEASE do a part 2! (I‘m also struggling with the decision what to study at university and tbh my passion is and will always be literature, so I‘m thinking of studying German (I‘m German) and English? Languages are perhaps the most beautiful thing I can think of? I‘m stopping here because I can picture my friends rolling their eyes at this, but it‘s true.) Thank you for this video!
Yes PLEASE DO PART TWO!!! You are the only thing that made me smile since the devastation of Normal People to my heart! You make me want to go back in time 20 years and get my English degree again. Bravo!!
I loved this video! You are honestly so smart and it was really interesting to hear your thoughts and analysis of the books he read and how they connect with/influenced the novel. Part 2 would be amazing! Also, you discredit your own intelligence so much but, you truely are inspirational and intelligent!!!!
Your concept of having a fun casual goal that spreads within a week is so inspiring, as I tend to feel debilitated by long deadlines that they start to feel like bigger than life projects and too pressured to pursue. I like these bite-sized optimistic-realistic goals that may look like they're a waste of time but would be a great way to fill time with substance.
I know you posted this video a year ago but... oh my.. Subscribed to your channel a few months ago and woah I remember now why I decided to do so! I've been watching a couple of videos this afternoon and I just love your content! I'm literally buzzing! I also studied English at uni and I absolutely adore your videos, the way you share your passion for books with us! Even more if you post a video about Sally (also watched your review about 'Beautiful World, Where Are You)!!! but this one.. stole my heart! Thank you so much for doing this! Really boosted my motivation to go back to reading!
The fact that they share a coke is so cool! Also, towards the end of that same episode, Marianne and Connel stare at a painting by Duchamp - and in "Having a coke with you" the painting "Nude descending a staircase" is mentioned, which although not being the same painting, is by the same artist :)
Great video! Also with Emma, I think the whole "transformation" aspect in the story alludes to Marianne's transformation around that time, coming into university. Looking forward to reading these!
Really appreciate the work you would have had to put in to make this video especially since it is only really relevant to people who know the storyline of normal people. It really adds to my understanding of the story and makes me appreciate the author much more. Thank you Jack and part 2 please! ☺️
Please make a part two! I loved this video! It was so interesting and let me continue living my love (obsession??) for Normal People after reading the book/watching the series
I took a full gasp when I saw the golden notebook in that pile as I am fully aware of how dense and long that book is after using it for my coursework! You were a lot quicker at reading it than I was tho hahah
I love seeing you get so excited about all the connections between the texts and the novel!!! You could honestly write a phd on this (love from a co English student)
This video has fully blown my mind. I tweeted this but, I study television Production which consists of creating TV shows. I am in love with the script writing part and this has changed the way I want to write, being able to reference growth, love etc is such secretive ways is something I wish I could nail
My favourite video of yours, more literary analysis please! Mind officially blown by the marianne/colonel link, and props for getting though morte d'arthur!
I loved this! As a person who also just finished an English degree, it was so awesome! I'd love to see you do Marieanne's books and also I'd love a moving out vlog for when you can get back to Durham to collect your things!
Ooooookay, this is brilliant. I'm very impressed both by the increadible work you put into this video and the novel itself. I would love to re-read Normal People with all those references in mind.
I am binge-watching your videos... and I AM SO IN LOVE with your content! I read Normal People - it was my first book of the year. And i fell in love... and now, watching you discovering all the references... its just genious, you make me wanna read it again! And btw I adore how you say Bildungsroman! Liebe Grüße from Germany :)
I am utterly convinced that Jack is here to 1. save my English coursework by giving me a multitude of ideas 2. save my English a-level as a whole by educating all of us in long academic words 3.to be a fat mood when it comes to summarising my attention span Thank you for coming to my TED talk
This is incredibly unique, informative, motivating, and overall positive! It's a breath of fresh air watching a booktube (albeit this is a studytube) content that discusses books you actually love and reach new heights to show appreciation to it. Not to mention choosing to do something productive when you have an option to rest and relax. Lovely video !!
remembers me of the time when I was reading "in one persone" from john irving. well, unfortunatly i didn´t had the time to read all the books that he mentioned. but reading all the wikipedia articel :D well, and he is acting in soo many shakepeare drama that it would have been he insane to read all of them. but thank you for this great video!!
I have not read the book you are talking about but as a literature student I enjoyed your analysis very much! I am currently wiriting a term paper on reading and literature in Madame Bovary and I think it is interesting to see whether and if so how literary characters are influenced by the books they read. Furthermore, I was not aware of the fact that Jane Austen also uses free indirect discourse as we are always taught that Gustave Flaubert is best known for this technique. Thank you for enlightening me on this topic! You should make this a series where you read the books characters read in a book ;) Greetings from Germany
God Normal People is so overrated. I have never tried so hard to finish a book. It literally made me so uneasy that I threw the book across the hall and now being sued for battery. Worth it!
i've read normal people and watched the tv show so it’s safe to say i’m a fan, and this video was SO INTERESTING!!!!! definitely gonna check out some of these books!
As someone who is doing an English degree, who loved the book and then loved the TV show, this hit my niche SO hard!😍 I’d really recommend Sally Rooney’s other novel Conversations with Friends, that’s also a VERY good book!
I think this is one of my favourite videos you have posted! I read Normal People about two weeks ago and I loved it. While reading, I always wondered what the mentioned books were about...And now Jack Edwards himself filmed a whole video about it. What a dream combination haha!
WATCH PART 2 HERE: ruclips.net/video/9GQa6hjo5G0/видео.html
ALSO ALSO the thing about the Communist Manifesto is that Marianne sort of condescendingly suggests that Connell reads it, and he says he already has, making Marianne admit that she hadn't. I think this goes to show how for Connell, the class disparity is a lived experience for him, something he's already familiar with, whereas for Marianne class disparity is more of an intellectual and academic venture.
Not just an intellectual venture but one that she hasn't even started to look into. She has no way to relate to Connell about their class disparity, even intellectually, because she simply hasn't done the research. And then for her to suggest that he read the Communist Manifesto as though his lived experience of being poor in a poor town wouldn't be enough in the face of her just knowing about the book, not even having read it yet, shows Marianne's privilege, and distance from her peers, far better than just how big her house is.
@@PandoraRoman All of this, but just on the class distinctions - I wouldn't say Connell's 'poor', he's working class, and has a uncomfortable but functional lifestyle and homelife. Actual poverty would prevent him being so integrated in community life like the GAA. Neither is the town especially 'poor', it's an average rural Irish village/town - mix of working and mostly lower middle class (+ Marianne's upper middle class family).
Sorry for being pedantic if you didn't mean it that literally but just lyk anyway because social class in Ireland isn't that clear, nor has class as a concept been hugely developed here (like it would be in UK). A major reason why I loved Rooney being so explicit about it in this novel.
@@EK-ev3pt You're absolutely right and I should have been more specific. Rooney's depiction of class in this book is stellar and I think I got caught up in the euphoria of replying.
Also being from Australia, our class distinctions aren't as developed either but the difference between being working class and living in poverty is obviously immense.
@@PandoraRoman 👍👍
Huh, i thought Connell suggests it to Marianne
jack: *reads a huge pile of books and has intelligent comments on all of them*
me, who takes weeks to read one book: 👁️👄👁️
the bildungsroman pronunciation jack... i had to pause the video
Hhhhhhh don't feel bad he is a lit student he studied how to say "intelligent comments"
That is ok
sammee
people who read a lot are superior
can we all appreciate Sally Rooney for a moment? a person in her 20s giving all these references in her book really requires some high level of intellect! HATS OFF!
Ummmm. No. You really don’t have to be that smart for this list of works. Just a passing familiarity with literature is sufficient.
@@monolith94 exactly it's more passion and thoughtfulness
@@earthgrazer2164 that's a better way to put it than the comment you replied to.
I hadn't realised she's only in her 20s though. Impressive!
The English seminar scenes in the show took me right back to first year, like they were always split into pretentious students who wanted to sound really clever and the quiet ones who would rather gouge their own eyes out than make a contribution
the second type is me yikes! it's so stressful to be hold back by your own anxiety while others can just talk about the thing you really enjoy
What about the students who couldn’t help but talk? I was always that kid who just couldn’t shut up… to the point the professor had to say “someone else?” Honestly I never felt smart talking, I just couldn’t stand the awkward silence 😅
@@HiAndHello-w9l yeah me too... but now i'm slowly turning into a silent one.
Probably the most inventive Normal People video I've seen yet, and there have been a lot of them! Such a great video :)
thank you!!
Part two! Part two! Part two! The crowd goes WILD!
Yesss
YES PLEASE!!!!!!
I could honestly hear you talking about literature for hours. You'd be such a great teacher!
Am equally fascinated
he was a teacher in china a few years ago!!
I do my day to day activities with his videos going on, that’s how much I love the way he talks about the lit.
Jack: claims to have a short attention span
Also Jack: *reads books for 24 hours straight*
I am so glad that someone else sees the Sense and Sensibility connection! I’ve been trying to convince anyone who will listen that Normal People is an extremely clever almost retelling of S&S.
I agree that the names are similar for a reason. Connell Waldron even rhymes and has the same prosody as Colonel Brandon. In high school, Connell is very much like Willoughby (enjoys Marianne’s attention but doesn’t want to be seen with her in public). However at University he seems to take on the narrative of the Marianne character from S&S - well, Marianne after London. He is lost, out of place, feels devoid of love and unlovable, is forced to confront the hurt his actions have caused and suffers a life threatening illness. Marianne reminds me of Marianne (pre London) from S&S while at high school: desperate for attention, big feelings, acerbic wit and the inability to shield her emotions. At University she takes on some of Eleanor’s inscrutability and seems to embody the fragility of all the ‘lesser mentioned’ characters, like Colonel Brandon’s ward, Eliza, from S&S.
I know Normal People is so much more than a retelling, but I love that Rooney’s passion for literature are the life blood of this book. I especially love how she shares her disdain for the alienation and stratification of literature through Connell and his internal monologue at the literary event.
Normal People is a marvel! More content like this please!
this is way too clever to be lost in the comments !
part two pleaseee, your english degree is shining
"Now I'm gonna go full on English student and dive in even though no one asked me to" is such a mood tbh.
Great video! I really enjoyed your thoughts on the various pieces of literature. Definitively adding The Fire Next Time to my tbr!
Jack:
Connell:
Jack: it’s destiny
ENGLISH STUDENTS UNITE !!!
“My attention span is as long as a Tik Tok “ 😂
just lockdown things xx
if it were true, could you read all of the books in a week?😂
Now do this with Gilmore Girls and (some of) the books Rory reads 😂
Yessss
Omg yes!
such a good idea!!
Omg yess the rory gilmore reading list! Or read all of the books referenced in it
Yes please!!
"Should have warmed up for that one cos that was a stretch" DEAD
We see you wearing your Connell chain Jack, don’t think we don’t
This is one of my favourite videos that I've ever watched!! As an aspiring English student I was really excited to see all of the links you made between the books and the novel/show - I watched the show recently but haven't read the novel yet but I plan to very soon and now I'm even more excited! Xx
aw thank you so much - it was so fun to make!
i aspire to be this intellectual and passionate about literature. like wow
Don't even know who connell is but still here ✨
Same lol
Get to know 👏🏻😍
Watch normal people on bbc iplayer it’s great!
this gives me so much motivation to read lol. and I take english lit at a level
hahahahaha MOOD
Jack Edwards makes me feel comfortable and calm. I really don’t care what he’s talking about I will listen.
Am in the same boat,,, just scrolling through comments but have no idea about what he is talking about
I think the thing about "Ulysses" that is important is, yes, it makes a lot of grand allusions to great literature/events in history/etc., but the point is that it conflates these epic moments with moments of the everyday and in effect the ordinary becomes extraordinary. This may be what Rooney is getting at here, this ordinary love story between two normal people walks alongside the myths of the gods.
I will also mention that Joyce wrote for the common man, and his text was much more readable for those of his generation than for us these days because they were living in and around the references he was making. That's not to say that it was perfectly legible for everyone back in the day, it's still a complicated text but I also think we shouldn't necessarily focus on the allusions in "Ulysses" too much. Yes, they are important and you will get a lot out of the book if you take the time to understand everything, but you will also get a lot out of it if you just read it as a simple story.
I would also posit that perhaps the name-drop of James Joyce in "Normal People" is more so in reference to "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" than to "Ulysses". I feel like Rooney might be positioning Connell as Stephen (the artist as a young man). This becomes particularly relevant when you consider that Joyce's novel follows Stephen through his formative years (through University particularly) while he tries to figure out who he is (*cough cough* like Connell) and because Connell is kind of suggested to be this guy who's going to go on to great things and become an artist as a writer.
What a great insight! I never thought about the allusion to "Ulysses" in this way. Your point about the blurring of the epic and the everyday via which the ordinary becomes extraordinary was beautiful. It's always amazing how much I can learn from a random encounter just as I have learnt from you, dear stranger! Now I want to go and make an another attempt on James Joyce
@@shanl6504 Ah! That's so lovely of you to say!! Thank you :) :)
Sorry, are you saying that there is a literary reference to mythology in Normal people? ^)
My English Literature teacher suggested me to read and review Normal People, so thank you for this video - you made me save time to procrastinate - and PLEASE make that Part2 video alive :P
also in “having a coke with you” O’Hara makes a reference to Marcel Duchamp’s painting “Nude Descending a Staircase”, and in Normal People Marianne takes Connell to see another Marcel Duchamp painting! (sad young man on a train) weird little connection!
Wow!! Thanks for this!
I like reading books fictional characters have read. It’s how I read Howard’s End which I would describe as the quintessential Edwardian novel. Brilliant.
so interesting because it makes you read things you'd never have picked out for yourself! Howard's End is one of my faves!
Thinking I might check out the book about King Arthur
funny thing is i just had a literature lesson on Howards End
what an interesting video! I love literature and I've really enjoyed how you approached all the novels that connel reads in normal people 💕 you should definitely upload more content on literature because I feel like you have a lot to say and value to add
thank you so much! also loving the artic monkeys reference in your username :)
@@jack_edwards I didn't expect you to reply! ❤ so cool you got that reference 😂 hope you have a nice day! sending a virtual hug from a Spanish viewer
Hello there !
I just wanted to come back to your analysis of "Candid" by Voltaire, this book is not a bildungsroman, it's a parody! It's a response to Leibniz who published essays named "Essays of Theodicy" (La Théodicée in French) where he basically argued that everything happens for a reason and things always are as good as they can be. Therefore, Voltaire decided to write this novella in order to lay emphasis on how ridiculous this idea was. I think it does back your parallel, and that it enhances even more the fact that Marianne and Connell were not meant to be in the end.
Hope it made sense, you made an amazing job, this is truly an incredible video xx
I’m German and the way English people pronounce “Bildungsroman” is just hilarious haha I simply don’t get why they don’t translate it to something like “educating novel” or something
i'm so so so sorry
Oh, so that's why I wasn't understanding what he was saying. 😂 I am Czech, but I had German in school.
@@jack_edwards no worries, I think you amused us all! And we can easily understand you 😊
It's one of those "untranslatable" words ^^ in literary critique it was the German word who coined the idea of what a Bildungsroman represents :) the professor (I don't remember his name of the top of my head) who first properly theorized the Bildungsroman used the word for a very specific kind of book (ie. Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre is a Bildungsroman but later literature is not). Researchers have than used different words for it. In English they have coming-of-age novels, in French we speak of Roman d'apprentissage or de formation (sometimes "d'initiation") and in Italian you'll find "romanzo di formazione". But they usually coexist with the Bildungsroman ^^ so technically every Bildungsroman is a coming-of-age sotry but not every coming-of-age story is a Bildungsroman 🙈 hahaha can you guess I had to research this for my master's thesis? 😂
Yeah it really is funny!
this is such a creative take on the book i love it :')
edit: YES part 2!!
This was ingenious!! I’m from Sligo (where Carricklea is based!!) and I go to Trinity College, Dublin!! Although I’m in no way an English student, this was SO interesting!! Please do a part 2!!✨✨
“This book is notoriously very very dense... but then again so am I” SENT ME
My friend actually likened the entirety of Normal People to Atonement by Ian McEwan - which it definitely has a lot of in terms of the different social classes within the relationship (with Connell's mum, Lorraine working for Marianne's family), as well as the jumps in time, the idea of circumstances separating the two characters and so on (obviously without the whole trauma of warfare and the accusations of rape lol). I think that might be an interesting thing to observe in a part two - maybe more as a similarity / reference? Really enjoyed this video - well done! :)
This was so fun to watch and exactly the kind of Normal People deep dive I needed in my life. As a former literature student myself, I’ve been really tempted to do deep dives into Normal People that no one’s looking for. I feel like comparing the book to the show, specifically how the music is used to substitute the inner monologues that you don’t get without a voiceover, would make a fascinating essay topic.
Do it! I’m here for all of it.
Fun fact: 'In the waiting room' is a poem on the Leaving Cert syllabus which is commonly studied, as Elizabeth Bishop is one of the 8 poets on the curriculum. So another reason why they were studying it in class.
PART 2 PLEASE!!!! I have been out of school for two years and I so so so miss analysing literature like this. Absolutely adored learning about these books. Appreciate all the effort you went to xxxx
I loved Normal People and I loved this video! Please do a part 2 💛
I finished normal people a few weeks ago and in the nicest way you are what I imagine Connel to be omfg. As in looks, ur so nice and genuine, and u study English. I mean am I wrong!?
This was one of the most engaging and brilliant videos from you I have seen. Please make a part two!
Yes please do a part 2, I loved this video! I looove Normal People, I have actually considered if I could somehow make my bachelor's thesis of it next year, this video & your analysis definitely gave me some food for thought :)
Okay Jack but now we want you to do a part 2 and 3 and 4
Edit: THIS SHOULD BE A SERIES
I love this could you do this with other books or tv shows? I know Rory Gilmore reads A LOT of texts in Gilmore Girls but can't think of other examples
Videos like this remind me why I love being an English major and now I want to go read a bunch of classics. Also a part two would be amazing.
This was such a lovely video! I’m currently doing my master’s in medieval history, but considered studying literature for the longest time (also everyone mistook me for an English student) and so it’s lovely to “live through you” in that sense. Thank you!
I‘m going to order Normal People immediately, this video is literally the best thing I‘ve seen in ages. PLEASE do a part 2! (I‘m also struggling with the decision what to study at university and tbh my passion is and will always be literature, so I‘m thinking of studying German (I‘m German) and English? Languages are perhaps the most beautiful thing I can think of? I‘m stopping here because I can picture my friends rolling their eyes at this, but it‘s true.) Thank you for this video!
Yes PLEASE DO PART TWO!!! You are the only thing that made me smile since the devastation of Normal People to my heart! You make me want to go back in time 20 years and get my English degree again. Bravo!!
I loved this video! You are honestly so smart and it was really interesting to hear your thoughts and analysis of the books he read and how they connect with/influenced the novel. Part 2 would be amazing! Also, you discredit your own intelligence so much but, you truely are inspirational and intelligent!!!!
Your concept of having a fun casual goal that spreads within a week is so inspiring, as I tend to feel debilitated by long deadlines that they start to feel like bigger than life projects and too pressured to pursue. I like these bite-sized optimistic-realistic goals that may look like they're a waste of time but would be a great way to fill time with substance.
Part 2 please! 🙌🏽 this was amazing! But that stretch pun really got me
I know you posted this video a year ago but... oh my.. Subscribed to your channel a few months ago and woah I remember now why I decided to do so! I've been watching a couple of videos this afternoon and I just love your content! I'm literally buzzing! I also studied English at uni and I absolutely adore your videos, the way you share your passion for books with us! Even more if you post a video about Sally (also watched your review about 'Beautiful World, Where Are You)!!! but this one.. stole my heart! Thank you so much for doing this! Really boosted my motivation to go back to reading!
The fact that they share a coke is so cool! Also, towards the end of that same episode, Marianne and Connel stare at a painting by Duchamp - and in "Having a coke with you" the painting "Nude descending a staircase" is mentioned, which although not being the same painting, is by the same artist :)
"All my sons" is the book from which Twenty One Pilots got their name ❤
Great video! Also with Emma, I think the whole "transformation" aspect in the story alludes to Marianne's transformation around that time, coming into university. Looking forward to reading these!
Really appreciate the work you would have had to put in to make this video especially since it is only really relevant to people who know the storyline of normal people. It really adds to my understanding of the story and makes me appreciate the author much more. Thank you Jack and part 2 please! ☺️
Please make a part two! I loved this video! It was so interesting and let me continue living my love (obsession??) for Normal People after reading the book/watching the series
How much time did you spend reading The Golden Notebook?!
1:40 Jack: says he's thick
Also Jack: went to Durham, one of the most prestigious unis in the country
It’s an act. People who are smart call themselves dumb knowing full well that people will tell them they’re wrong. It’s quite a nice ego boost really
I took a full gasp when I saw the golden notebook in that pile as I am fully aware of how dense and long that book is after using it for my coursework! You were a lot quicker at reading it than I was tho hahah
Can we all give Jack a round of applause for the amount of effort he has put into this video?
Oh and to answer your question, YES I'D LOVE A PART 2.
This is literally one of the best videos i’ve ever watched on youtube omg the connections between the books and show was incredible!!
This was actually amazing!! Do a part two!! I’m gonna have to buy and read these books now
Edit: Bought them.
PART TWO, yes please!!
WHEN WILL YOUR PLANNERS BE BACK ON STOCK I WANT ONEEEEE
sorry for the caps lock
same i need one for the next academic year
soon :)
I love seeing you get so excited about all the connections between the texts and the novel!!! You could honestly write a phd on this (love from a co English student)
Your passion for literature motivates me to read even more!! Love your videos x
The length of a TikTok should be the new catchphrase
This video has fully blown my mind. I tweeted this but, I study television Production which consists of creating TV shows. I am in love with the script writing part and this has changed the way I want to write, being able to reference growth, love etc is such secretive ways is something I wish I could nail
LOVING this quarantine content
This is so good! I don't feel so alone in obsessing over Normal People anymore.
we definitely need part two! it was so interesting!
My favourite video of yours, more literary analysis please! Mind officially blown by the marianne/colonel link, and props for getting though morte d'arthur!
I loved this! As a person who also just finished an English degree, it was so awesome! I'd love to see you do Marieanne's books and also I'd love a moving out vlog for when you can get back to Durham to collect your things!
Looovveeee looovvveee your content BUT this one was a favorite!! I love Normal people!!!
yes yes yes yes yes a part two is needed!!
absolutely part two! this vid made my little english major heart SO happy
Please do a part two!! Loved that u pointed out the connections between the novels.
PLEASE DO A PART 2. I WATCHED THE ENTIRE VIDEO AND LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT.
Just finished reading normal people and this video makes my respect for rooney’s writing grow even bigger
Ooooookay, this is brilliant. I'm very impressed both by the increadible work you put into this video and the novel itself. I would love to re-read Normal People with all those references in mind.
I am binge-watching your videos... and I AM SO IN LOVE with your content!
I read Normal People - it was my first book of the year. And i fell in love... and now, watching you discovering all the references... its just genious, you make me wanna read it again!
And btw I adore how you say Bildungsroman!
Liebe Grüße from Germany :)
As an a level English literature student and a normal people lover I love this video so much! so original and amazing exploration of ideas :)
I am utterly convinced that Jack is here to
1. save my English coursework by giving me a multitude of ideas
2. save my English a-level as a whole by educating all of us in long academic words
3.to be a fat mood when it comes to summarising my attention span
Thank you for coming to my TED talk
You outdid yourself with this one Jack! Loved it!
This is incredibly unique, informative, motivating, and overall positive! It's a breath of fresh air watching a booktube (albeit this is a studytube) content that discusses books you actually love and reach new heights to show appreciation to it. Not to mention choosing to do something productive when you have an option to rest and relax. Lovely video !!
remembers me of the time when I was reading "in one persone" from john irving. well, unfortunatly i didn´t had the time to read all the books that he mentioned. but reading all the wikipedia articel :D well, and he is acting in soo many shakepeare drama that it would have been he insane to read all of them.
but thank you for this great video!!
YES, this is the content I'm living for, just brilliant!!
A part 2, should be all of the books recommended by joe goldberg from YOU !
oh that would be interesting because he is VERY pretentious about his books
I have not read the book you are talking about but as a literature student I enjoyed your analysis very much! I am currently wiriting a term paper on reading and literature in Madame Bovary and I think it is interesting to see whether and if so how literary characters are influenced by the books they read. Furthermore, I was not aware of the fact that Jane Austen also uses free indirect discourse as we are always taught that Gustave Flaubert is best known for this technique. Thank you for enlightening me on this topic! You should make this a series where you read the books characters read in a book ;)
Greetings from Germany
God Normal People is so overrated. I have never tried so hard to finish a book. It literally made me so uneasy that I threw the book across the hall and now being sued for battery. Worth it!
i've read normal people and watched the tv show so it’s safe to say i’m a fan, and this video was SO INTERESTING!!!!! definitely gonna check out some of these books!
Honestly think this is one of my favourite RUclips videos ever! Can't wait for a part 2!
PART TWO PART TWO! FANTASTIC VIDEO. SO ORIGINAL. I even took notes ...
“This book is very very dense... but so am I” I felt that
Yes part 2 !!!
As someone who is doing an English degree, who loved the book and then loved the TV show, this hit my niche SO hard!😍 I’d really recommend Sally Rooney’s other novel Conversations with Friends, that’s also a VERY good book!
Yo Jack, I have been following since you were applying to Oxford Uni. You really motivate me a lot.
this was everything I didn’t know I needed, absolutely loveeee
I think there is hardly any other channel like this thank you so much for doing this
I think this is one of my favourite videos you have posted! I read Normal People about two weeks ago and I loved it. While reading, I always wondered what the mentioned books were about...And now Jack Edwards himself filmed a whole video about it. What a dream combination haha!
Omg how am I only just finding this now?!?! This is PERFECTION.
I absolutely LOVE your book/reading content!! Please continue with it