It’s not infrequently that my high school alumni coordinator ventures onto Facebook to share the various achievements of Falmouth Academy’s most glorified students. Featured are images from one alumni’s service trip to Ghana and snippets of an interview conducted by one alumna and a White House reporter. Since my own graduation, I’ve ceased to be impressed with the work of these late 90’s graduates. Instead, I’ve been saving my admiration for those who are making accomplishments without the publicity that’s forced onto my Facebook wall.
However, being someone with a deep appreciation for short stories and literature, fostered by my six years spent at Falmouth Academy, I was intrigued when our coordinator interrupted my Vice News and Bustle posts to flaunt the recent success of FA graduate, Kristen Roupenian. A member of the class of 1999, Roupenian has recently just agreed to a seven-figure book deal inspired by her short story “Cat Person” which was published in The New Yorker. Even though it was published in the December 11th issue, the story became the magazine’s second most-read piece of 2017.
Photo Credit: The New Yorker
I didn’t get a chance to read the story until Christmas break but, having finally done so and digested it, there are things that definitely should be said BEFORE we start calling her the next great American author.
For those of you who haven’t read the short story, I offer a quick summary. You can find a more in-depth summary here.
College sophomore, Margot, works at a movie theater and begins a flirtation with an older man, Robert, whom she doesn’t find very attractive. The man doesn’t seem too interested either but nonetheless, returns a week later and the two exchange phone numbers. The two strike up a lively text conversation that leads Margot to develop some interest in Robert.
They go on a date, which starts out nothing like their conversations. Robert is awkward and unresponsive which confuses Margot. They first see a movie then go to a bar to get drinks. After three beers, Robert and Margot leave together. They make out and, mutually wanting to have sex, go to Robert’s house.
Originally Margot is into it, however, disappointed by his skills in the bedroom, she loses interest and regrets starting something in the first place. Robert becomes gross and aggressive, throwing her around unpleasantly and eventually when he’s finished, it’s clear that Margot isn’t interested in pursuing the relationship further.
They talk and we learn that while Margot is only 20, Robert is 34. This fact disturbs Margot more than she expected and regretting her one night stand, Margot ignores Robert’s constant text messages for the next week.
“Hi I’m not interested in you stop texting me.” Margot is shocked but slightly relieved. Robert responds saying “O.K… I am sorry to hear that. I hope I did not do anything to upset you…Please let me know if you change your mind.” A month later Margot sees Robert at her local bar and her friends rush her out. Margot receives a text from Robert saying that he saw her. Even though she never responds, Robert continues to text her saying uncomfortable things: “you looked really pretty…I really miss you…I just wish you’d tell me what it is I did [wrong].” Robert asks if she’s sleeping with the guy she was with at the bar then asks if she’s with him right now. Robert orders Margot to answer him and when she doesn’t respond, he calls her a “whore.”
Eventually a friend, tired of Margot’s inability to tell Robert that she doesn’t want to hear from or see him again, steals Margot’s phone and texts him saying she is uninterested.
A month later Margot sees Robert at her local bar and Robert continues to text her saying uncomfortable things, even though she does not respond.
While the piece has obviously received a lot of positive feedback and a book deal, I still find myself disagreeing with the comments of it being “thoughtful and oblique” (The Economist).
It is important to note that these reviewers are looking at the story in a different light than I am. As a millennial, a 20-year-old college sophomore, and a fellow graduate of the rigorous reading and writing prep school, my comments on the piece come from a different place than the others.
I do appreciate the inclusion of new-age influences and how technology has affected the dating world. I remember one of the reasons that I wanted a cell phone was because I thought it would help me get a date, but I agree with other reviewer’s comments on how it’s inaccurate for modern writers to ignore the impact of technology and its presence in relationships.
But, the inclusion of technology is only one of the ways which the story is relatable. The situation itself is one which many can recall themselves. An iffy-first date which suddenly doesn’t seem so bad once alcohol is consumed and the bad sex which usually follows. But does a relatable story make it a good story? Or are we just applauding Roupenian for putting a common scenario into words?
Photo Credit: Daily Mail UK
However, while I appreciated the presence of technology, I still have many qualms about the piece. Frankly, this story struck me as a generalization. Being of the same age and academic place as the main character, I didn’t find Margot as relatable as many reviewers are writing her to be. While reading the story, a comment I made to myself was, “Is this really what Roupenian thinks a 20-year-old is like? Wasn’t she 20 once?”
The actions of Margot and her decision to sleep with Robert becomes her identifier. With the success of this story, it paints the life of a 20-year-old woman to be one riddled only with thoughts of men, sex, and affection. Yes, the thought of love is one that many of us have. However, relationships don’t have the great appeal that they did with earlier generations.
The accessibility and popularity of Tinder and Bumble have made it so that a lot of us aren’t interested in anything serious. We don’t have the time for it and we aren’t willing to put in the work or effort. Literally, we won’t consider seeing someone if they live on the opposite end of campus. So, I found it odd that Margot would be so quick to consider a potential relationship with Robert. Just because of a good conversation? We aren’t that shallow.
Further belittling 20-year-olds, I, and the other young adult’s that I’ve spoken to about this piece, were also shocked by the number of people that Margot has slept with. We felt seven to be a fairly high number for someone who’s only lived two decades and was in a two-year, committed relationship in high school. Plus, it’s a fact that millennials are having significantly less sex than those of previous generations so, the odds of this scenario playing out, in reality, is also unlikely.
Photo Credit: The New Yorker
Ultimately, I see the theme of this story as being one about the realities of modern dating; how we create high expectations from short interactions and are ultimately disappointed when those expectations fall short. I’m definitely guilty of this, but I do think that these emotions could have been communicated more thoughtfully and less superficially. To me, this piece sounded too much like an excerpt from a Cosmopolitan Worst First Dates Ever article.
In my opinion, Roupenian has belittled the self-respecting and independent college women with her depiction of Margot in “Cat Person”. I worry about the image that Roupenian is offering of the 20-year-old woman. I expected the story to have characters with emotions that required more in-depth exploration and scenes that mimicked that. Instead, the story offered obvious immaturity and awkwardness that was implemented as a backbone for literature.
Cover Photo Credit: Daily Mail UK
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!