There is something innately intimate about sharing a bed. Peterson's story draws us close, to our most vulnerable state, juxtaposed by the public bustle of salesclerks and shoppers as two woman - once close friends, now alienated by suburbia - attempt to rest in an unbalanced relationship. Kathryn enters the story uncertain and needy; by the end she has transformed into a confident, confrontational woman. Or has she? That is only what I see. Through Kathryn's eyes, Sharon has changed from a spontaneous dinner guest to a schedule-fanatic, who can only fit her in while accomplishing another task. At the end of the story, the reader is left to interpret Kathryn's transformation themselves.
The strength of this piece is that it is so utterly relatable and personally revealing. The contrasting ideas allows readers to pick up on the feeds that strike them strongest. Is Emily worth worrying about, or would Chris never cheat on Kathryn? Is Sharon and Kathryn's relationship dissipating, or is Kathryn simply becoming more independent? The story can be read a multitude of ways. Peterson masterfully crafts this story to be more of a reflection of the reader than a fictional story, making it one of my favourite pieces in The Journey Prize 25.
The strength of this piece is that it is so utterly relatable and personally revealing. The contrasting ideas allows readers to pick up on the feeds that strike them strongest. Is Emily worth worrying about, or would Chris never cheat on Kathryn? Is Sharon and Kathryn's relationship dissipating, or is Kathryn simply becoming more independent? The story can be read a multitude of ways. Peterson masterfully crafts this story to be more of a reflection of the reader than a fictional story, making it one of my favourite pieces in The Journey Prize 25.