Normal People Lesson Plan

How do Marianne and Connell define their relationship? Is it necessary to always specifically label relationships?

Marianne and Connell technically have only ever been friends - they've never used the title of boyfriend or girlfriend. When they have their misunderstanding and Connell moves home to Carricklea for the summer, Marianne considers the fact that she is now "nothing" to Connell. Since she was never his girlfriend, she's not his ex-girlfriend, though that's what the heartache feels like. And Connell tells Lorraine they were just seeing each other casually, although he was spending most nights at her place up until he moved home. In this section of the book,...