Redefining the Concept of \"Friends\" in Friends,

Redefining the concept of "Friends" in Friends, Good Friends, and Such Good Friends by Judith Viorst

Friends, Good Friends, and Such Good Friends by Judith Viorst is an essay that attempts to re-define the concept of friendship experienced among women. Viorst's discussion of the topic stems from her earlier assumption that there exists unqualified friendship between people, particularly women. She previously thought that, "a friend is a friend all the way," which, of course, changed over time, as social interaction and experience taught her that friendships can have varying degrees and characteristics. As her essay illustrates, Viorst categorizes friendships among women into various levels or degrees of intimacy and self-disclosure and characteristics.

Viorst came up with eight (8) categories that illustrate these criteria that she used (level of intimacy, self-disclosure, and characteristics of the friendship/relationship): convenience, special-interest, historical, crossroads, cross-generational, part-of-a-couple, men who are friends, and medium/pretty good/very good friends. Viorst's categories can be grouped into two, based on either (a) affinity of the individual with the friend or (b) similarities in characteristics of an individual to his/her friend. In effect, convenience, historical, cross-generational, and part-of-a-couple friends are considered friendships formed based on affinity, or relations of an individual to another, thereby making it inevitable to form friendships or social relations. Similarities in characteristics, on the other hand, center more on the individual's freedom of choice to choose and establish relationships/friendships with other people. Thus, special-interest friends, crossroads friends, men who are friends, and medium/pretty good/very good friends are grouped under this category.

Viorst uses a reader-friendly tone and voice in discussing this topic, making it easier for readers to understand the author's message and meanings behind each concept (friendship category) that she introduces and discusses. Informal writing style is used, as illustrated in the terms "part-of-a-couple," "men who are friends," and "medium, pretty good, and very good friends." These terms are not only found in everyday conversations of Viorst's audience, these phrases and terms clearly define and identify the thought that she wants to express to her audience. Furthermore, her essay gives a "self-help book" effect, providing the readers both entertainment and information about friendships among women.