“Cat Person” and The Nice Guy Syndrome

Abstract

Kristen Roupenian’s short contemporary story “Cat Person”, published in 2017, received large attention and sympathy for women, due to the realistic portrayal of the main character’s terrible dating experience. Margot is a young college student who has just met Robert, but her night with him was filled with stress and disappointment due to his awkward behavior and the feeling that she owed him more. Male entitlement is nothing new, but in the era of modern dating, it allows different ways for men to pressure and harass women into dates or even blame them for denying what men want and need. But why do so many women agree with this mentality that puts them at harm? And is it even their fault? This article aims to question modern dating while analyzing Roupenian’s work, discussing the patriarchal tensions present in the story between the main characters, and relating it to concepts such as the “Nice Guy Syndrome”, slutshaming, female guilt and power dynamics between men and women.