The Most by Jessica Anthony is a novella that explores the complexities of mid-20th-century marriage. The story begins on November 3, 1957, against the backdrop of the launch of Sputnik 2. Kathleen Beckett is a housewife who lives in Delaware. On a Sunday, she does not attend church with her family and instead heads to the apartment complex swimming pool wearing her faded red bathing suit.
Kathleen steps into the water and refuses to leave. What seems like a simple choice becomes her way of standing up against the stifling rules of her suburban life. This one day changes everything, bringing hidden problems in her marriage and sense of self to the surface. Kathleen struggles between the demands of being a homemaker and the dreams she leaves behind. Once a tennis star with a signature move called “The Most,” Kathleen struggles to reconcile her current life with the ambitious person she once was.
Kathleen steps into the pool to distance herself from her domestic life, societal expectations, and the monotony of being a wife and mother. The still water of the pool mirrors her inner conflict, giving her a space to confront her lost dreams, identity, and unhappy marriage. However, her family does not understand or accept her actions.
