Short Fiction Presentation

Group Handout
Story Title: Year Written/ Published:
Cat Person
2017
Author:
Kristen Roupenian
Type of Narrator: Setting:
(1st person, 2nd Person, 3rd Person) A normal urban American
town or a typical American
3rd Person Narrator city

Main/Central Character Description:

Robert: A 34-year-old white man who lives alone with 2 cats. He is smart and witty but has
minimum experience in relationship. In terms of appearance, Robert is about average at his age.
Story Synopsis:
(Write a brief synopsis, describing the plot of the story and what the characters go through or
experience during the story.)
Margot works part time at a cinema and met Robert at the counter as he bought himself Red Vines.
Margot casually flirted with him and although Robert did not respond to her that day, he came back
the next week, asked for her phone number and they embarked on a texting relationship. They
initially were just exchanging jokes but then one night, upon Margot’s complain, Robert got her
some snack and kissed her on the forehead, which swayed Margot. They then got closer through text
message as Margot went home during the break. After the break, they went on a movie date. It was
not the best date as Margot did not like the movie choice, Robert seemed distant at first and Margot
could not get into a bar due to her being underaged. But as Margot busted into tears, they eventually
kissed and got even closer. The date ended with Margot suggesting and them going back to Robert’s
house and have sexual relations. Margot however was very uncomfortable during the intercourse
with Robert and had Robert drive her home after that. Over the next few days, Margot tried to cut
links with Robert via text message and was able to do that with “the help” of her roommate Tamara.
Margot saw Robert a month later at a bar she once told Robert about and thanks for her friends, she
was able to avoid him and get out of the bar. The story ends with Margot receiving text messages
from Robert later that night. Despite of Margot and her friends’ effort, Robert did see her and his last
text message read “Whore”.
Meaningful Moments:
(Describe two important moments in the story where the impact of the story is most felt. Explain
why you thought those moments were important and meaningful.)
The moment when Robert asked Margot to get out to 7-Eleven, got her snacks and kissed her on the
forehead. This is the starting point to Margot’s feeling, Robert went from an interesting texting
friend to someone who made her heart flutter. Without this, Margot would probably never try to
move to the next step with Robert. This moment was then the base to Robert’s image in Margot’s
head.
As Margot drafted her message to cut him off, she realized her true feeling for Robert. This is when
her head finally cooled down, her judgement not clouded by the feeling she had over Robert’s action
or alcohol. Margot finally got time to think about how she feels about her relationship with Robert.
At this point, she has also had more knowledge of Robert to think about their relationship in a more
rational way.

Interesting Passages:
(Quote 2 passages from the story where you were impressed with the writing or where the writing
most revealed the story/characters.)
“On the drive, he was quieter than she’d expected, and he didn’t
look at her very much. Before five minutes had gone by, she became wildly
uncomfortable, and, as they got on the highway, it occurred to her that he
could take her someplace and rape and murder her; she hardly knew anything
about him, after all.”

“She was starting to think that she understood him—how sensitive he was, how easily
he could be wounded—and that made her feel closer to him, and also
powerful, because once she knew how to hurt him she also knew how he
could be soothed.”
Perspectives/Ideas:
(Describe the perspective or ideas you think the writer is trying to share with the reader. What points
are the story trying to make? What does the story express about the world we live in?)
We start out relationship with people not knowing a lot about each other and we only get to know
more of people over the courses in our relationship with them. This means that along the way, there
can be many times that we make wrong decisions and may or may not, purposely or accidentally,
hurt each other. While this sounds depressing, there is actually not many things that we can do about
it as we can only do the best with what we have and we are human beings with emotions.
One person may fit us perfectly in one part but is totally different in other sides. The tricky part of
relationships, especially a serious one, is that one need to be able to bear with the other on all sides
that is to be there.
Knowing all the risks, a person, especially a girl, will still start a relationship with all the wonders
and fears, as this is the human nature and otherwise, one might just close themselves entirely. This is
our adventure in finding a partner that both sides can bear with each other. Sometimes, this might
tire us out and turn us into mean and perhaps evil people that are not what we originally are.
Sometimes, that can be just temporary but sometimes, the experience we got from these relationships
can change us for good.