Eleanor And Park

It is common to create a friendship with someone when there is something found in common with each other. In the book Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell , Park Sheridan and Eleanor Douglas, the two main characters, begin a friendship that blossoms into a relationship. It all began when Park let Eleanor sit next to him on the bus because she was new and had nowhere else to sit. Eleanor began to read Park’s comics with him on the bus and that quickly initiated their friendship. Both Eleanor and Park come from two completely different backgrounds which leads to Eleanor having a hard time opening up to Park and feeling comfortable around him. Eleanor lives in poverty. She lives in a tiny house and shares one room with her four siblings. She has an abusive stepfather named Richie who abuses Eleanor's mother and leaves the rest of the family living in fear. Park on the other hand comes from a stable, happy family that respects Park and treats

Both Eleanor and Park looked forward to the bus rides where they would confide to each other their thoughts and feelings towards whatever music or comic strip they were discussing at the time. An example of them bonding through music and comics was when Eleanor confided to Park her thoughts on the song, “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, Eleanor said, ‘Oh my God, that's the best beginning to a song ever.’ ”(Rowell 51). Park then responded to Eleanor agreeing and expressing his additional feelings on the song. Conversations similar to these were distractions for Eleanor. They helped her cope with her home life because at home she was always talked down to by Richie, her stepfather. Also, she could not express her true feelings at home without getting yelled at or in trouble. Both of their liking in music helps create a strong friendship because it’s a way for both of them to express