More or Less Maddy: A Novel

“Is this what she’s supposed to want and strive for? Dressing in matching costumes, chitchatting about nothing, married with children, perpetuating this mind-numbingly meaningless nightmare, this endless loop of absurdity?”

Genova uses a tone of frustration to reflect Maddy’s rejection of societal expectations. The rhetorical questions emphasize Maddy’s alienation from the conventional ideals of “normalcy,” reflecting the theme of The Impossible Expectation of Normalcy. Through repetition, Genova showcases Maddy’s disillusionment with a life she finds shallow and unfulfilling.

“She understood that this behavior was poison, not medicine. She felt unwell. But for some sick reason, she welcomed every moment of tormented misery. She wanted to feel bad, as if she were honoring the death of their relationship and the depth of her mourning needed to match the significance of their love.”

This moment reveals Maddy’s complex relationship with pain and loss. The metaphor explores how Maddy internalizes her suffering as something necessary for emotional release, which is a paradox central to her character. Genova’s use of antithesis exposes Maddy’s need to validate her grief, showing the emotional intensity and self-destructive tendencies that come with her bipolar disorder.

“She lives an enviable, privileged life. Nothing bad or sad has happened. Everything is okay. So then why does she feel the opposite of okay? What do I have to be depressed about?”

This quote showcases Maddy’s internal conflict and confusion about her depression. The juxtaposition of external privilege with internal turmoil reveals the disconnect often experienced by those with mental illness, emphasizing how mental illness can affect anyone from any background. Genova uses rhetorical questioning here to express Maddy’s disbelief at her own emotions, reflecting how she often feels invalidated by her inability to reconcile her feelings with her outward circumstances.