You Are Here

Content Warning: This section of the guide refers to alcohol misuse and infertility.

The female protagonist of You Are Here, Marnie, is a 38-year-old copy editor from London. Her introduction establishes The Pain of Loneliness and the Need for Human Connection as a theme. Presenting Marnie as a character who has few friends, the text undermines the common preconception of loneliness as an affliction of the unsociable. Marnie feels ashamed of her lack of social connections, feeling it’s an indictment of her personality. However, as her vibrant, fun-loving character emerges, it becomes clear that Marnie’s isolation is the result of recent life events: a toxic marriage that destroyed her confidence and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Another factor beyond her control is the burden of societal expectations. Remaining single while her peers are married with children, she becomes a social anomaly and the source of unwelcome pity.

The novel’s intertextual references to Jane Austen expand in its depiction of Marnie. Witty, intelligent, and forthright, her attributes are reminiscent of Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of Pride and Prejudice. Her frequent wisecracks thematically illustrate The Balance Between Humor and Melancholy: She uses comedy as a defense mechanism to conceal her vulnerability.