Friendship makes much of the rebellion in Little Brother possible. Friendship isn't easy or absolute, but when it's based in trust it can overthrow government regimes.
In many ways, friendship is what brings everyone in the novel together and gets them through uncertainty, torture, imprisonment, and betrayal. Even when friendship hurts or goes through rough patches, true friends will come through for you when it matters most. Oh, and you can use friendship to make cool secret encryption concept called a web of trust. You know. Just in case.
Questions About Friendship
- How would you describe the relationship that Marcus, Van, Jolu, and Darryl have? Are they really friends?
- What makes someone a true friend in Little Brother?
- Do Marcus's ideas about friendship change by the end of the novel? Do yours?
- Would you rather have Vanessa or Ange as a friend? Why?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Marcus idealizes his friendship with Darryl throughout the book, blinding him to his own self-interest.
The only way to combat surveillance is through establishing trustworthy friendships.