5 Amazing Literary Friendships

Great friendships are one of the many things that draws us into reading a book. The thrill of a well-crafted friendship keeps us holding on until the end comes. Not only are they fun and interesting to read about but they can inspire us and our friendships that we have with the people around us. 

Many friendships in books are wonderful and you want a friend exactly like them. Unfortunately, they are too good of a friend dynamic to be true, and you will most likely never meet anyone like them 😭. 

Here are a few of my personal favorite friendships from the literature that I have read. 

5. Nancy Drew, Bess Marvin, & George Fayne 

 Bess, Nancy, and George from the book "The Clue of the Broken Locket"

Throughout the Nacy Drew books she has two constant companions who help her solve almost all of the mysteries. George (for clarification George is a girl) and Bess are cousins who live close to Nancy in River Heights. They were friends through high school and now follow their friend to help solve mysteries, all across the nation and world. 

Nancy is the adventurous protagonists of the story, with her best friends Bess, the frightened, fashionable one, and George, the thrill-loving, sporty one, constantly at her side.

Even though most of the mysteries are dangerous and could lead to possible harm (many of them led to being kidnapped 😶) Bess and George always trust that their friend will get them through the harm and back into safety. 

Bess and George appear in the books with Nancy in almost all 56 books with the exception of maybe five of them. Nancy constantly comes to them for help and aid knowing that they will be willing to help as long as their parents' consent with them going. 

4. Will Treaty and Horace Altman 

These two characters are from the series you may have not heard of called Ranger's Apprentice.
Will and Horace grew up together in a home for the orphans of nobles who died in the war, but they weren't always friends. Up until their teenage years they were the worst of enemies, Horace always fighting physically and Will also doing his best to come up with witty comebacks. Horace would bully Will, criticizing his small size and abilities. Later on, Will and Horace became friends after parting ways and saving each other's lives in a battle with a wild boar. 

Will is the smaller one who relies more on his brain and wit while Horace is the not as quick minded one who relies more on his size and strength. This plays a lot into the way that they go on with in their lives. 

Will and Horace chose separate paths in life but somehow, they always seem to intertwine. Whether it's saving the other from a perilous situation, helping a friend with the dangerous and disastrous things going on, or saving a monarch of a country. 

3. Anne Shirley and Diana Barry

 Anne and Diana from the 1985 version of "Anne of Green Gables"

Anne and Diana met each other and immediately became best friends. Anne had dreamed of a friend to pour out her heart to and Diana never knew that someone could have such a large imagination and was immediately interested in Anne. The fact that Diana understood what Anne was saying and went right along with it was probably very encouraging when everyone else thought that she was a problem. 

They spent hours together talking and laughing, through good days and hard ones. Anne was always getting in trouble and Diana was an ever-supporting friend, always there when she needed her. Their friendship passed through many hard separations including them being forbidden to talk to each other after Anne accidently gave Diana current wine instead of raspberry cordial. In addition, Anne went off to teach at a ladies college, but in every situation, they would see each other again and immediately pick up right where they left off.  

2. Jo March & Laurie  

 

Jo and Laurie from the 1994 version of "Little Women" 

Josephine March and Theodore Laurence are hilarious. They are playful and feed off of each other's energy. Jo sees Laurie as a brother and the masculine version of herself while Laurie always wanted a friend because he had lived alone with his grandfather. He does not only become friends with Jo but all of the March sisters whom he would watch from his window across the street. 

Their friendship starts when they meet at a dance but Jo (being herself) does not want to dance, she meets Laurie another room and they become great friends immediately. They then have a blast entertaining themselves until the party is over. Laurie is fun-loving, playful, and exactly what the March girls needed, a brother. Many different things happen during the course of their friendship including Laurie going off to college and it sadly comes to an end for a few years after Laurie tries to propose to Jo. She had always thought of him as a brother and was horrified, shocked and disappointed they part ways. Years later they meet again, but the friendship is forever changed.  

1. Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee

Sam and Frodo from the 2001 "The Fellowship of the Ring"

Frodo and Sam knew each other long before the Fellowship started because Sam was Bilbo's gardener and helped take care of all the plants at Bag End. After overhearing Gandalf talking to Frodo, Sam is forced to go with Frodo to Rivendell and ultimately-Mordor. Then while in Rivendell he again overhears a secret conversation and then offers to be a part of the Fellowship. The Fellowship breaks and Frodo leaves alone for Mordor but Sam, clinging to the hope that the Ring will be destroyed, and they will eventually return home, follows Frodo after is "escape" from the breaking Fellowship and the orcs chasing them. 

The two travel farther than they had ever been before, with only Gollum as their guide. Frodo has pity on him and lets him help while Sam does not trust him. In the movies (this doesn't happen in the books), Frodo rejects Sam and sends him away because of this. Sam loyally follows him and saves him from being eaten by Shelob, who happens to be a giant spider. Sam remains Frodo's faithful, caring, protective companion to the end, knowing that Frodo would not be able to go alone. Frodo sees that Sam wants to help and knows that he could not do it alone, so he lets him tag along, thankful for the company. 

Throughout their friendship they save each other's lives many times and use that to encourage them to keep going. 

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Please comment below with any feedback or if you want to share who your favorite literary friendship is! 💕