The Scholarship Symbol Analysis

The scholarship that both Marianne and Connell receive at Trinity College represents the subtle and mostly unacknowledged tension surrounding the differences in their economic backgrounds. Whereas the scholarship significantly changes Connell’s life by enabling him to travel in the summer, focus on school instead of working, and generally sustain himself in Dublin, it doesn’t do much to impact Marianne’s daily life. Rather, the scholarship for her is just something that makes her feel good about herself, since it’s a prestigious scholarship that’s only rewarded to people who score very high on a special exam. The opposing ways that Connell and Marianne view the scholarship therefore highlight the extent to which they view the world differently because of their upbringings: Connell is constantly aware of and embarrassed by his working-class background, whereas Marianne hardly ever thinks about her wealth, which is why she has no problem pursuing a scholarship that would probably better serve someone who actually needs financial assistance—someone, that is, in Connell’s position. Simply put, Marianne can afford to not think about her financial circumstances, whereas Connell cannot, and the fact that they both receive the scholarship only brings out this disconnect between their experiences.