Family

Early family life has a magnificent impact on the development of an individual. The friends in the novel form such a strong bond because some of them do not have deep relationships with their real families. They use the friendship group as a foster family that helps them feel safe, happy, and secure. However, the role that their original families played in forming them is inescapable.

Harriet is envious of the happy relationship that some of her friends have with their families. As she explains, “Parth, Wyn, and Kimmy were all the product of loving, lasting marriages, and Cleo’s parents had split when she was little but stayed on excellent terms. They still lived a block apart in New Orleans and had regular family dinners with each other and their respective spouses” (57). Because Cleo, Parth, Wyn, and Kimmy all come from happy families, they are...