In Omnia Paratus: Life Is Short. Write Well.
The Guy Who Just Won’t Take “No” for an Answer
The writers of Gilmore Girls were obsessed with this trope, so much so that it is one of their most enduring signature storylines.
Part of the genius of Gilmore Girls is that Lorelai and Rory are both dating for the entirety of the series. Having a single mother and a teenaged daughter both dating, both looking for love, creates a fascinating juxtaposition. Rory is new to dating, Lorelai has been at it awhile. Rory is nervous and a little fatalistic about it, Lorelai is jaded but still somehow optimistic.
Though their approach to dating differs, they share one surprising trait: They both are completely irresistible to men who refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer.
Let’s start at the very beginning.
The First Uses of the Trope
In flashbacks, and through many conversations, we learn that Chris wanted to marry Lorelai when she was pregnant. He proposed half-heartedly when their parents suggested it, we see that with our own eyes, but in S7:E14, Chris says, “I’ve been asking you to marry me for twenty years.” Rory, for the record, is twenty-two in this season, so this…
