Enviable Fictional Friendships

If you think about it- and I didn't even realise it until today- every single book has a friendship in it that plays a major part in the story. You might be sitting there going, "Yeah Kallisti. Catchin' on fast aren't we?" but I thought that was fascinating. Anyway, I've picked three of my favourite fictional friendships for you:

‘The Calendar Sisters’ and Lily Owens

Rosaleen, the three Boatwright sisters and Lily

*SPOILERS* I recently finished reading The Secret Life of Bees and if there’s one thing that stuck with me (apart from the unresolved ending (but in a good way! don’t be put off by that)) it was the friendship that developed between Lily Owens and the Boatwright sisters, especially August and later June (I still wonder why there’s no July…). Lily’s friendship with August is very supportive and tender and… well… feminine. It has fun, cheekiness and tolerance on the outside and the quiet and gentle but determined female strength on the inside. August trusts Lily before she even knows her, indicative of what their friendship later blossoms to be. Although it is a different case with June, it eventually ends up in a very similar place too and even as the reader you easily feel the safety and warmth of their friendship.

Harry, Ron and Hermione

Whoop-de-doo, what a big surprise. Who doesn’t envy their friendship? They take the others’ quirks and failings in stride and understand each other so thoroughly that it seems almost impossible that they should fight. But they do sometimes, whether it’s Harry getting all angsty and snappy, or Ron acting like a jerk, or Hermione a stuck-up pig, but this just makes the friendship all the more real. It fights through the difficulties to come out the other side stronger and closer than before. They stick-up for each other in the good and the bad: big or small, despite misunderstandings or disagreements. Personally, by the way, I liked the way Hermione didn’t end up with Harry, because their friendship was more that of a brother and sister and it would be incongruous if it ended up as anything else if you get my meaning. That’s the cute sort of friendship all three of them had throughout their lives: that unconditional acceptance. Check out this video, if you haven't already seen it.

Sam and Frodo

Their desperately difficult and dangerous quest brings out the strength and courage in both hobbits and forges a friendship that is both unbreakable and enviable. The unfailing loyalty of Sam is nothing less than saintly. He is both a father and friend to Frodo on their journey, constantly making sure that his ‘master’ is sleeping and eating properly, even when it means giving up his own sleep and food. The effort he goes to in order to keep their spirits up is phenomenal and that heart-wrenching part when Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom to help relieve him of his burden, beautifully portrayed by Peter Jackson, is simply legendary. Frodo, though his main concern is the Ring, is gentle and kind to Sam and acknowledges his generosity though he is unable to repay it. He always pays attention to Sam’s opinions even if he disagrees and begs, “I need you on my side”. It is inconceivable to either that they should be divided for long (which is why I don’t like the part of the third film when Frodo leaves Sam) and their self-sacrificing friendship is one of the greatest I’ve ever seen.

 How's that? Really makes you appreciate you're friends, doesn't it?

Always yours,
Kallisti