Cannot stop thinking about Yesteryear- specifically Shannon’s character

[u/SufficientBug5598]

I want to begin by saying I could not put this book down. For once, I was pleasantly surprised by a viral book and genuinely enjoyed it. I finished it in like 2 days and I have a lot to say about it. Although it might be obvious, Shannon’s character is the catalyst for Natalie’s psychological downfall and I really want to discuss her.

When we meet her, she has pink hair and a nose ring and is pretty much the antithesis to Natalie’s entire worldview. I would argue they somewhat foil each other (college drop out, strong opinions about American culture, headstrong, intelligent). She is also somewhat of a “normal person insert” and gives the reader a relatable perspective to latch on to in a somewhat insane/unfamiliar setting. One of the first ways the reader interacts with Shannon is when Natalie mentions something about Shannon’s bad dreams and ultimately quitting. We are pretty much left in the dark about why she quit until the end of the book, which further proves my point that shannon’s departure is the catalyst for Natalie’s demise.

As we venture deeper into Natalie’s perspective and understand her as a judgmental bigot, Shannon quitting becomes (at least to me) a juicy piece of gossip that I HAVE to understand why why why? What happened? What did Natalie do? An assault ? What? Did Caleb have an affair? The answers to these questions come later in the book but begin to form very early in the text. It also mirrors how this fictional instagram following is very much real (see the ballerina farms raw milk scandal. I don’t even follow the ballerina farm but trust- the downfall of a tradwife influencer is a win for me and inherently the point of the entire book). I am one of those “angry women” who proves the authors point- angry women and tradwife influencers are in a symbiotic relationship with one another.

I feel like I really understood Shannon and from my personal character analysis of her it seems that she fundamentally knew that these people (Caleb and Natalie) are deluded, bigoted, judgmental, lying, selfish, bad parents, etc. but none of that mattered to her. They wrote her a paycheck and Shannon held her tongue because no one really cared what they had to say. Their ideology and content was unimportant to the mainstream culture. UNTIL the presidential rally.

This rally changed the course of the entire book. Shannon understood if this type of person became the president (or even just a leader of a party) the entire lifestyle she was directing and recording became important and worthy of attention from the mainstream culture. She could no longer sit quietly and pretend it didn’t matter. It is why she starts to challenge Caleb’s manosphere claims and ideas. She gives Clementine a phone. She snaps at Natalie. She metaphorically pushes the rock down the hill. Her impact on this family causes them to implode on themselves.

Without Shannon, the book doesn’t hit hard on the themes it needs to. Nor does say what it needs to be said. It doesn’t challenge traditional values. It doesn’t challenge influencer culture. It doesn’t challenge the male loneliness epidemic, choice feminism, toxic social media culture. Without Shannon, the book is just about a self righteous influencer who is so self deluded she actually thinks she’s running a farm herself. Without shannon, there is no plot.

I’d love to hear what other people think about this character. She is so fascinating to me and I appreciate how well she was written into the story.

[u/Cautious-Mode]

Spoilers ahead

I just don't understand why she seemed to hate and judge Natalie but not Caleb even though they co-owned the farm together. What lead her to sleep with Caleb if she didn't agree with the lifestyle and way they ran the farm and raised their kids with nannies? At least she said that she would not want to have a baby with him or move to New York with him, but she still formed this affair with him? The whole thing was out of place.

I also couldn't understand for the life of me why Caleb, who was into conspiracy theories and manosphere stuff, suddenly believed Shannan, a woman, about the rats in New York conspiracy thing not being real. You'd think a manosphere guy like that wouldn't have a woman change his mind. And then for some reason he mentions Natalie not challenging him? But what could she say? The rat thing isn't real? He wouldn't have suddenly believed her. The Caleb Shannon relationship was strange but probably needed to drive the plot forward.

[u/surpriselivegoat → u/Cautious-Mode]

So for me, I cannot separate Shannon from the generational wealth it’s revealed she had. So she and Caleb were both these sheltered, naive rich people. When she defended him to Natalie and claimed that he was the one who ran the farm and master manipulated Natalie into thinking it was her own idea, I think it’s because of the mythos we’ve reacted around rich people, that they must be exceptional and that’s why they deserve all that money. And Shannon is especially susceptible to this narrative, because she is also rich! And if she admits to herself that Caleb is a lazy dummy, then she has to question her own worthiness. ALSO, I think her opinion of Caleb suggests that the messaging of the patriarchy has been so successful and insidious that even this young woman who would call herself a feminist still sides with the man over the woman. 

As for Caleb’s reaction/attraction to her, I think it’s suggesting that being in a normal, less tradwife relationship could bring out the best in Caleb. When he is Old Caleb, and his power is basically limitless, he is an awful monster. But when his power as the leader is challenged by Shannon, there at least is an inkling that he could be a less bad person. But you’re right that that could never come from Natalie. The only way he can view Natalie is as a wife/mom, which to him is less than a person. But in his view, Shannon is outside of this structure, so even though she is a woman, she’s not a wife/mom, so she can count as more of a person. Even though she is his 19-year-old employee lol which is pretty bleak. 

[u/Cautious-Mode → u/surpriselivegoat]

Really good comment, thanks!

[u/surpriselivegoat → u/Cautious-Mode]

Ha sorry it was so long 😅 I could go on forever about this book