Out of Body
The lives of Sasha, Drew, Rob, and several other friends while in college is filled with drugs, rocky relationships, and late nights. Rob and Sasha have become great friends through their first few years of college, however their relationship is skewed because, since the chapter is narrated by Rob, it becomes clear that Rob has had feelings for her that exceed friendship. Rob, who has struggled with depression in recent years, feels like an outsider within his friend group, so he latches onto Drew and Bix in an attempt to be a full part of the group again. Rob reflects on the depth of his and Sasha’s relationship and feels a growing sense of jealousy towards Drew, who knows almost nothing about Sasha’s past. After a wild night with Bix and Drew, Rob loses his ability to keep all of Sasha’s secrets and begins to reveal them to Drew in an attempt to appear more connected to Sasha than he does. Drew doesn’t believe what Rob is telling him, and Rob immediately regrets breaking his trust with Sasha. Drew, a dedicated swimmer, then gets inside the river nearby to cool off after their intense altercation. Drew follows, but struggling with exhaustion from the drugs he has been high on and a general lack of health,cannot fight the current. Drew can’t do anything to save him, so Rob drowns in the river.
Analysis
This chapter deals with the concept of the effects of experiences on a relationship. When Sasha and Rob meet, they are at stages in their lives that allow them to develop a deep bond. Once they gain new experiences through college, however, they move different directions. Egan brings these same characters into both chapters 11 and 12, so having this middle-period story allows the reader to acknowledge the shift in their characters.
The lives of Sasha, Drew, Rob, and several other friends while in college is filled with drugs, rocky relationships, and late nights. Rob and Sasha have become great friends through their first few years of college, however their relationship is skewed because, since the chapter is narrated by Rob, it becomes clear that Rob has had feelings for her that exceed friendship. Rob, who has struggled with depression in recent years, feels like an outsider within his friend group, so he latches onto Drew and Bix in an attempt to be a full part of the group again. Rob reflects on the depth of his and Sasha’s relationship and feels a growing sense of jealousy towards Drew, who knows almost nothing about Sasha’s past. After a wild night with Bix and Drew, Rob loses his ability to keep all of Sasha’s secrets and begins to reveal them to Drew in an attempt to appear more connected to Sasha than he does. Drew doesn’t believe what Rob is telling him, and Rob immediately regrets breaking his trust with Sasha. Drew, a dedicated swimmer, then gets inside the river nearby to cool off after their intense altercation. Drew follows, but struggling with exhaustion from the drugs he has been high on and a general lack of health,cannot fight the current. Drew can’t do anything to save him, so Rob drowns in the river.
Analysis
This chapter deals with the concept of the effects of experiences on a relationship. When Sasha and Rob meet, they are at stages in their lives that allow them to develop a deep bond. Once they gain new experiences through college, however, they move different directions. Egan brings these same characters into both chapters 11 and 12, so having this middle-period story allows the reader to acknowledge the shift in their characters.