‘Compare and contrast the presentation of coming of age in Northanger Abbey by
Jane Austen (1817) and Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018)’
Finding personal identity serves as the ‘ultimate question’ for Rooney’s protagonists
during their coming of age period, while Austen’s novel focuses on development of social
identity, reflecting the lack of autonomy that Regency societal constraints imposed on not
only Catherine, but also on Austen.1 Despite, however, the increased sexual and social
freedoms of the 21st century, Connell and Marianne remain grittily yet authentically flawed
throughout the novel. This allows Rooney to portray a nuanced presentation of coming of age
which, almost paradoxically, reflects the increased complexities of developing personal
identity in a world in which individuals, especially women, have increased freedom to do so.
Austen presents Catherine’s coming of age journey as a complete transformation of
social identity whereas Rooney’s protagonists in an arguably more naturalistic manner, as
they retain their flaws and end the novel as evolved versions of their original identities, rather
than new people. Initially, Austen presents Catherine as a disillusioned, socially inept
character whose ‘plain’ looks and ‘occasional[] stupid[ity]’ left her ‘uncomfortable’ and
‘alone’ in Bath, without a ‘single acquaintance’ to confide in. Through defining Catherine as
a wallflower figure, Austen suggests that her social identity will be critical to her
transformation as a character. This notion is fulfilled by the juxtaposition between Catherine’s
previous ‘distress’ at not understanding the ‘propriet[ies]’ of society to her preoccupation
with the knowledge of ‘how the Bath world went on’, rather than the ‘horrid’ novels she
formerly had ‘like[d] to spend [her] whole life in reading’. The cyclical setting of the novel as
it opens and closes in public Bath society also reflects this focus on social identity, as
Catherine’s environment represents a continual reminder of the role she is expected to fulfil
within it. Even while at Northanger Abbey, which represents the wealth and social status
intrinsic to Regency society, Catherine is unable to transcend or escape the expectations it
places on her. Conversely to this focus on social identity, Rooney’s characters experience
growth in their relationships and personal lives. This could be interpreted as a limitation of
Austen’s perception of coming of age, as in the society in which she was writing, personal
development was synonymous with social and societal maturation.
Critically, Marianne’s development focuses on self-perception, and development of
self worth, or lack thereof. Rooney’s subversion of patriarchal expectations and ideals of
1
Moretti, F. (2000). The way of the world : the Bildungsroman in European culture. London; New York: Verso.
1
, aesthetic femininity with Marianne’s ‘plain’ or even ‘ugly’ looks is key to this, as it suggests
that, in modern society, a woman doesn’t need to be perfect in order to be desirable.2 This
idea is vital to Marianne’s development of self-worth; it subverts ideas that she is ‘cold’ and
‘unlovable’ and presents Connell’s love for her, while not perfect, as proof that she can be
unconditionally loved despite the ‘flaws’ she perceives herself as having. It also emphasises
feminist progression between the two novels; Connell and Marianne’s relationship shows that
modern ideals of what makes a woman feminine or ‘desirable’ are no longer monopolised by
men’s narrow standards, as they were in Catherine’s society. Equally key to her self-growth,
the novel concludes with Marianne urging Connell to pursue a life and identity outside of her;
‘You should go, she says. I’ll always be here. You know that.’ This signifies a turning point,
as Marianne desires to develop a sense of self outside of her relationship with Connell and the
self-loathing previously intrinsically tied to her identity by abuse. This growth is prevalent in
modern coming of age novels, as characters turn away from dependency on partners to prove
their worthiness of love, in an effort to develop self-worth and individualism. Similarly,
Connell’s vitality seems revived by the end of the novel after a depressive episode as he
re-forges his identity through writing, feeling ‘the old beat of pleasure inside his body’ that
establishes a tone of hope for his future.
Despite this hopeful tone, however, Normal People’s conclusion has ambiguity, and is
almost antithetical to Northanger Abbey’s abrupt, yet resolute end. The listed and
monotonous tone of ‘Henry and Catherine were married, the bells rang and every body
smiled’, emphasises the commonality and routine nature of Catherine’s ending. It reinforces
that Austen’s novel was focused on Catherine’s societal and social identity, dichotomising the
focus on mental and emotional individuality in Normal People. Modern readers may interpret
this as a limit to the growth of Catherine’s personal identity, as Austen presents a Regency
girl’s coming of age as a process restricted to them ‘maturing’ enough to accept and become
subservient to the role that Regency society had assigned to them. Despite their difficulties,
Marianne and Connell had the autonomy to forge their own identities in a way that Catherine
did not. Ironically, through this Catherine functions as an object; in the same way Marianne
and Connell perceived themselves objects devoid of purpose. Catherine’s identity becomes
paradoxically tied to a lack of it, as she merely functions as a representative of women like
herself in the society Austen was satirising. However, despite the autonomy it denied her,
Austen was writing in a time in which Catherine’s loving marriage was the best case scenario
2
Karas, A. (2021). How Normal People Changed My Perspective on Women and Love - Grain of Salt Magazine.
[online]
2
Jane Austen (1817) and Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018)’
Finding personal identity serves as the ‘ultimate question’ for Rooney’s protagonists
during their coming of age period, while Austen’s novel focuses on development of social
identity, reflecting the lack of autonomy that Regency societal constraints imposed on not
only Catherine, but also on Austen.1 Despite, however, the increased sexual and social
freedoms of the 21st century, Connell and Marianne remain grittily yet authentically flawed
throughout the novel. This allows Rooney to portray a nuanced presentation of coming of age
which, almost paradoxically, reflects the increased complexities of developing personal
identity in a world in which individuals, especially women, have increased freedom to do so.
Austen presents Catherine’s coming of age journey as a complete transformation of
social identity whereas Rooney’s protagonists in an arguably more naturalistic manner, as
they retain their flaws and end the novel as evolved versions of their original identities, rather
than new people. Initially, Austen presents Catherine as a disillusioned, socially inept
character whose ‘plain’ looks and ‘occasional[] stupid[ity]’ left her ‘uncomfortable’ and
‘alone’ in Bath, without a ‘single acquaintance’ to confide in. Through defining Catherine as
a wallflower figure, Austen suggests that her social identity will be critical to her
transformation as a character. This notion is fulfilled by the juxtaposition between Catherine’s
previous ‘distress’ at not understanding the ‘propriet[ies]’ of society to her preoccupation
with the knowledge of ‘how the Bath world went on’, rather than the ‘horrid’ novels she
formerly had ‘like[d] to spend [her] whole life in reading’. The cyclical setting of the novel as
it opens and closes in public Bath society also reflects this focus on social identity, as
Catherine’s environment represents a continual reminder of the role she is expected to fulfil
within it. Even while at Northanger Abbey, which represents the wealth and social status
intrinsic to Regency society, Catherine is unable to transcend or escape the expectations it
places on her. Conversely to this focus on social identity, Rooney’s characters experience
growth in their relationships and personal lives. This could be interpreted as a limitation of
Austen’s perception of coming of age, as in the society in which she was writing, personal
development was synonymous with social and societal maturation.
Critically, Marianne’s development focuses on self-perception, and development of
self worth, or lack thereof. Rooney’s subversion of patriarchal expectations and ideals of
1
Moretti, F. (2000). The way of the world : the Bildungsroman in European culture. London; New York: Verso.
1
, aesthetic femininity with Marianne’s ‘plain’ or even ‘ugly’ looks is key to this, as it suggests
that, in modern society, a woman doesn’t need to be perfect in order to be desirable.2 This
idea is vital to Marianne’s development of self-worth; it subverts ideas that she is ‘cold’ and
‘unlovable’ and presents Connell’s love for her, while not perfect, as proof that she can be
unconditionally loved despite the ‘flaws’ she perceives herself as having. It also emphasises
feminist progression between the two novels; Connell and Marianne’s relationship shows that
modern ideals of what makes a woman feminine or ‘desirable’ are no longer monopolised by
men’s narrow standards, as they were in Catherine’s society. Equally key to her self-growth,
the novel concludes with Marianne urging Connell to pursue a life and identity outside of her;
‘You should go, she says. I’ll always be here. You know that.’ This signifies a turning point,
as Marianne desires to develop a sense of self outside of her relationship with Connell and the
self-loathing previously intrinsically tied to her identity by abuse. This growth is prevalent in
modern coming of age novels, as characters turn away from dependency on partners to prove
their worthiness of love, in an effort to develop self-worth and individualism. Similarly,
Connell’s vitality seems revived by the end of the novel after a depressive episode as he
re-forges his identity through writing, feeling ‘the old beat of pleasure inside his body’ that
establishes a tone of hope for his future.
Despite this hopeful tone, however, Normal People’s conclusion has ambiguity, and is
almost antithetical to Northanger Abbey’s abrupt, yet resolute end. The listed and
monotonous tone of ‘Henry and Catherine were married, the bells rang and every body
smiled’, emphasises the commonality and routine nature of Catherine’s ending. It reinforces
that Austen’s novel was focused on Catherine’s societal and social identity, dichotomising the
focus on mental and emotional individuality in Normal People. Modern readers may interpret
this as a limit to the growth of Catherine’s personal identity, as Austen presents a Regency
girl’s coming of age as a process restricted to them ‘maturing’ enough to accept and become
subservient to the role that Regency society had assigned to them. Despite their difficulties,
Marianne and Connell had the autonomy to forge their own identities in a way that Catherine
did not. Ironically, through this Catherine functions as an object; in the same way Marianne
and Connell perceived themselves objects devoid of purpose. Catherine’s identity becomes
paradoxically tied to a lack of it, as she merely functions as a representative of women like
herself in the society Austen was satirising. However, despite the autonomy it denied her,
Austen was writing in a time in which Catherine’s loving marriage was the best case scenario
2
Karas, A. (2021). How Normal People Changed My Perspective on Women and Love - Grain of Salt Magazine.
[online]
2
