9/22/2023 0 Comments Have a nice death tvtropes![]() ![]() ![]() There's a gargantuan Double Standard in play here: a Dogged Nice Girl will often be portrayed more sympathetically than the Dogged Nice Guy, even if she's pushy or an extreme doormat, probably because Dogged Nice Girls will be seen as needing a man to feel fully whole in life and therefore not getting the guy they want will be more "tragic". Gender-Inverted variations occur relatively often, typically with a natural-looking, down-to-earth Girl Next Door type who is determined to win over the male friend she secretly loves, hoping he will eventually learn to appreciate her wholesome charms (often contrasted to the flashier appeal of a high-maintenance, unworthy gold-digger). This 21st-century shift to harsher portrayals is due to the usual cycle of tropes and media trying to avert the implications that Men Act, Women Are, and that a romantic resolution depends solely on the man's determination. Both versions can also be depicted as Loving a Shadow, as in Bob is more in love with the idea of Alice as his perfect soulmate rather than the real deal. Both types might be examined to show that Bob actually feels that he's Entitled to Have You and thinks that, since he's a "nice guy" who is interested in Alice, then Alice is morally obligated to date him he Wants a Prize for Basic Decency. The low-key yearning sort might be portrayed either as a Manipulative Bastard, for whom the whole long-term friendship is just a means to an end, or tragically mistaken for not recognizing that Alice still only feels like they're Like Brother and Sister and reacts with extreme Squick to romantic gestures. It can also have implications of a Stalker with a Crush situation if Alice truly dislikes or even fears Bob. Spectacular displays might irritate the object of their affection by treating them like a video game sidequest, where more gifts and displays of affection will equal more attraction. In works made after the Turn of the Millennium, a more cynical take on the trope might be used to point out some ways this type of thinking could backfire, resulting in a Deconstructed Character Archetype. Due to the Rule of Romantic, Alice will always realize over time that she really happens to love him back. ![]() In traditional straight examples, as long as Bob is honestly a Nice Guy, or at least a decent guy, both of these two attitudes are usually expected to result in success. If Bob dates someone else in the interim, this may make Alice have a Green-Eyed Epiphany and create an Unrequited Love Switcheroo. If Alice is in a relationship, Bob might try to accept it for Alice's sake. Alice might refuse the Relationship Upgrade because she doesn't want to ruin this friendship, or else believe that Bob just has a schoolboy crush he'll get over. ![]() From here, he may remind her of his unrequited love every time he sees her, or he may never mention it again. He's content to be Platonic Life-Partners until that time comes. Bob will likely begin by saying that he has his hopes for a more serious relationship, and he hopes Alice will eventually feel the same.
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