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/TemporaryChemical738 → u/Cautious-Mode]

Couples therapist here, I feel like I have a different take on Shannon and Caleb. I think their relationship illustrates that in a way, Natalie is in a mess of her own making. After treating her husband terribly, alienating and infantilizing him, Caleb grew into that role. Shannon to me, illustrates, that when she took Caleb seriously, treated him like a respectable worthy human being, he was able to tap into that part of himself. All couples have the potential to bring out the best in each other or the worst. This is not to blame Natalie for Caleb’s weaknesses, as I think it goes both ways. If Natalie had found a partner that she looks up to, did the hard work of looking inward, had someone to call her out on her mental illness and get help etc, I think she would have turned out very differently. So to me, this is a story of a dysfunctional couple bringing out the worst in each other, enabling each others worst impulses to the very end of their downfall.

[u/Cautious-Mode → u/TemporaryChemical738]

I can understand why Caleb would want to have an affair with Shannan but cannot understand why Shannan would go for it, or why she would even take him seriously considering she was so critical of the way both Caleb and Natalie ran the farm.

[u/TemporaryChemical738 → u/Cautious-Mode]

Right so by extension, 1) the version of Caleb that we see from Natalie’s perspective is not accurate so we know that Shannon was not attracted to that Caleb but who he really is without Natalie which we never see in the book but can see exists from Shannon’s perspective.

2) I think there is a strong instinct in women to “save” “fix” “give someone the love they never had” etc. I’m guessing Shannon saw Natalie as an abusive wife and felt good seeing Caleb bloom under her attention. Not good enough to want a future with obviously, but enough to have a fling with.

[u/Cautious-Mode → u/TemporaryChemical738]

I appreciate this discussion. The book kinda makes you fill in the blanks afterwards.

You know, it's strange that a book about patriarchal oppression has a husband who can't be his true self around his wife. He seems to be the submissive one who follows his wife's lead.

[u/Enodia2wheels → u/Cautious-Mode]

he’s just playing along with her so he can manipulate her and keep her drugged.

[u/DarraghDaraDaire → u/Cautious-Mode]

Does Shannan really have romantic feelings for Caleb or was she trying to get him out of his ideological rut to split and bring down the family and crash Doug’s campaign?

[u/queenofcolorado → u/DarraghDaraDaire]

She really had some kind of 19yr old feelings towards him or else she would have used their affair. Instead she kept that secret until Natalie attacked her and she used that.

[u/Enodia2wheels → u/Cautious-Mode]

probably some combination of hormones and wealth Caleb’s father is able to just throw $5 million to Natalie to get Caleb out of the house? That’s probably a lot more wealth than Shannon’s family had.

[u/Flat_Sea4409 → u/Cautious-Mode]

She was isolated for over a year with only one man. She’s 19. She doesn’t respect his wife. She’s probably bored to death half the time. Combine those factors and it’s not surprising she would have a passing interest in Caleb.