Another Version of Yourself Anonymous College

Have you ever identified so completely with a story that it digs its way into your subconscious? Relatability in literature is a powerful thing — in some instances, it has the ability to write over your own memories and experiences like an old-fashioned VHS. But what gives it that eerie ability to make someone question their own reality, in favor of one that they merely read? In the context of a specific scenario, what made Alexis Nowicki come to question her own past relationship, in favor of a fictionalized version written by a stranger? In her essay, Cat Person & Me, Alexis Nowicki describes how Kristen Roupenian used details from Nowicki’s own personal life to craft the short story, Cat Person. She writes, “I find myself inclined to trust Roupenian over myself” (Nowicki). How can a short story cause a real person to question reality as they experienced it? Jonathan Culler’s Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction provides insight on the matter, through Culler’s discussion of certain narratology mechanisms. Specifically, Cat Person uses focalization and identification to induce this reality-warping effect for Alexis Nowicki.

First, Kristen Roupenian uses narrative focalization to make Alexis Nowicki question her...