More or Less Maddy: A Novel

Maddy struggles against societal and familial expectations that are based on a narrow and restrictive ideal of “normalcy” that she can never fully meet. The pressure from her mother and sister to live up to conventional standards is one of the central tensions of the novel. Maddy’s mother expects her to be a certain type of person: stable, productive, and conforming to traditional life milestones, such as marriage, a steady job, and academic success. When Maddy’s behavior veers away from this path due to her bipolar disorder, her mother’s disapproval is palpable, and she insists that Maddy’s life must fit into a rigid mold—one that would be impossible or undesirable for many people regardless of their mental health status. As the narrative unfolds, Maddy realizes that if she is to have any chance at happiness, she must reject that “normal” life altogether. The third-person narrator uses free-indirect style—a third-person narrative voice that closely tracks the character’s point of view—to convey Maddy’s rejection of conformity: “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?” (34).