The motif of exchange—whether of goods, labour, or affect—has been explored as a structural metaphor for relational dynamics in fiction (Miller 2019). Miller’s concept of the “exchange horizon” posits that every intimate interaction can be read as a negotiation of value (2019, 52). In Sweetsinner , the exchange of a confection for a mother’s presence literalises this horizon.

Graduate Seminar in Contemporary Fiction – Spring 2026

~upd~ | Sweetsinner Annie King Mother Exchange 10

The motif of exchange—whether of goods, labour, or affect—has been explored as a structural metaphor for relational dynamics in fiction (Miller 2019). Miller’s concept of the “exchange horizon” posits that every intimate interaction can be read as a negotiation of value (2019, 52). In Sweetsinner , the exchange of a confection for a mother’s presence literalises this horizon.

Graduate Seminar in Contemporary Fiction – Spring 2026 sweetsinner annie king mother exchange 10