Friendship/Imaginary Friends

Being accepted as a friend is important, especially to adolescents. As a 13-year-old, Caroline's isolation in the forest does not stop her from dreaming about having a friend and seeking friendship with others she encounters briefly. At times, the need is so great that she resorts to make-believe conversations with non-existent friends.

Caroline lives in a forest with the man she identifies only as Father. He has many rules and Caroline recites the rules governing her “alone time.” For example, she knows it is acceptable to sing while she is in the woods, but there is no need to sing too loudly. She adds, “If you had a friend you could walk close together and sing softly” (17). She seems to imagine carrying on conversations with “a friend,” because she scratches words into leaves, including “Hello friend” (17). She knows this is against Father's rules. She...