She approaches him at the front desk and asks him if he wants to watch the firework display with her. Aidan agrees, even though he doesn’t know anything about her.
The story follows Aidan and Pauline as they walk around the hotel grounds and watch the fireworks. They talk about their lives, their dreams, their fears and their opinions. Aidan finds Pauline fascinating and mysterious, but he also finds her frustrating and confusing.
She seems to be interested in him, but she also seems to be hiding something. She flirts with him, but she also pushes him away. She tells him personal stories, but she also lies to him. She invites him to kiss her, but she also rejects him.
The story ends with Aidan and Pauline parting ways after the fireworks. Pauline tells Aidan that she is married and that she has a son. She tells him that she is sorry for leading him on, but that she just wanted to have some fun.
She tells him that he is a nice guy, but that they will never see each other again. Aidan feels hurt and angry, but he also feels relieved. He realizes that he doesn’t know Pauline at all, and that he doesn’t want to.
Characters and Character Development
- Sukie: The protagonist of Mr Salary. She is a 24-year-old woman who lives with Nathan, a 39-year-old man who has been her friend and benefactor since she was a teenager. She is smart, independent and ambitious, but she is also insecure, lonely and conflicted. She doesn’t know what she wants from Nathan or from life. She doesn’t develop much throughout the story, as she remains passive and indecisive until the end.
- Nathan: The titular character of Mr Salary. He is a 39-year-old man who works as a software engineer and earns a lot of money. He is kind, generous and caring, but he is also secretive, possessive and controlling. He loves Sukie, but he doesn’t tell her how he feels or what he expects from her. He doesn’t develop much throughout the story, as he remains loyal and devoted to Sukie until the end.
- Aidan: The protagonist of Colour and Light. He is a 25-year-old man who works as a receptionist at a hotel. He is bored, restless and dissatisfied with his life. He wants to travel, write and have meaningful experiences, but he doesn’t have the courage or the opportunity to do so. He meets Pauline, a mysterious woman who invites him to watch a firework display with her. He is attracted to her, but he also feels confused and frustrated by her mixed signals and erratic behavior. He develops slightly throughout the story, as he learns to let go of his illusions and expectations.
- Pauline: The main character of Colour and Light. She is a 32-year-old woman who is a guest at a wedding at the hotel where Aidan works. She is beautiful, charming and charismatic, but she is also manipulative, dishonest and selfish. She flirts with Aidan, but she also lies to him about her identity and her intentions. She wants to have some fun, but she also wants to escape from her unhappy marriage and her boring life. She doesn’t develop much throughout the story, as she remains elusive and unpredictable until the end.
Theme and Message
The main theme of Two Stories by Sally Rooney is uncertainty. Both stories explore the uncertainty of attraction, love and identity among young adults who are trying to find their place in the world. Both stories show how uncertainty can lead to confusion, frustration, pain and emptiness.
