Friendships.

Molly Ellrodt
809
ELA/ Ms. Robbins

            I have just begun reading the intense book, Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, about a girl who has a serious eating problem and has just lost one of her former best friends. Before Cassie passed away, Lia and her had been very close friends. Though they weren't the best behaving students, they had a special bond. Cassie made Leah who she is and Lia made Cassie who she was. They both have/had major influences on each other much like most friendships. In friendships, one friend can have positive influences on the other and negative influences as well. Those influences can change you into the person you will be for the rest of your life. But you will also change as you grow older.

            In the book, on page 11, Lia explains the influences she had on her friend Cassie. She says that, as a negative influence, she was the cause of Cassie skipping and failing French class, and all the dangerous things she did. But then Lia goes on to explain all of the positive influences she had on Cassie. Even though Lia was the cause of the dangerous and bad things Cassie did, she also prevented her from making other bad choices at the same time. I think that it's important to have friends that change you. There's always room to change, even if they persuade you to make bad choices, that could be a good thing. You could learn from those mistakes and become a better person but you could also help them become a better person at the same time. Basically, It think that friends are an important part of life and that everyone needs a friend.

            Overall, there are good friends and bad friends. Your  friend can still be a good friend even if they negatively influence you because thats what many good friends do. Even though Cassie passed away, Lia will still continues to be influenced. By her new friends, by the memories of Cassie, and by her family as well. Lia was permanently changed by Cassie but will also continue to be changed. All in all, friends play a big a big role in who you become. Especially friends that you stay close with for a long time!