Friendships are the glue that holds human society together, and often keeps stories from falling flat. The question is are friends true or not? Literature is filled with fascinating sketches of friends who weren't but pretended to be, or friends who don't seem to be yet are. Severus Snape comes to mind from the recent Harry Potter books (and if you don't know, I'm not about to spoil it). Careful thought about character interactions can create fabulous friendships that surprise the audience again and again. Do that, and people will keep coming back for more.
I do think there is a distinction of between an acquaintance, friend, close friend, and true friend. True friends aren't necessarily close friends, but they remain true no matter the circumstances. Such friends can even be on the periphery, yet remain loyal and true. They can be used as literary foils (a neat concept, if you don't know already know it) where they are the bedrock of the story, yet aren't involved in more concrete ways.
Watching a character develop from a side note to a close and dear friend is marvelous. I enjoy it. There is a sense of progress, of development, and satisfaction that I love. It's a difficult trick to pull off, but when it works it is dynamite. Usually I see characters develop in a flash of smoke and magic, rather than slowly. Maybe our modern attention span doesn't hold up to slower development, but I'd like to see it more often.
Hopefully you have true friends in your own life, people who never let go and always hold you to a high standard. We need that encouragement and that accountability.
- M
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