Struggles In Stealing Home

Joci Schmidt

Mrs. Niswonger

English Composition II

7 May, 2023

Why Friendship Can Help People Through Struggles is the Theme of Stealing Home Friendship could be defined as a bond that can keep people together through mutual affection or shared experiences (McBrairty, 2021). That bond kept Maddie Townsend close with her childhood friends Helen and Dana Sue in Stealing Home. Written by Sherryl Woods, Stealing Home deals with newly divorced Maddie Townsend and her struggle to cope with everyday living with three children after the divorce. Maddie has had many struggles in her life; however, she struggled with making her children understand why their father left with a new woman who is currently pregnant. Friendship is what helped Maddie

The high school principal, Betty Donovan, confronted Maddie in Sullivan’s. Sullivan’s is Dana Sue’s restaurant located in Serenity, North Carolina. Betty confronted Maddie about her relationship with the baseball coach, Cal Maddox. Coach Maddox helped Maddie when her son did not return home from eating pizza with his friends after a baseball game (154-155). Betty is upset that Cal is helping Maddie and spending time with him, even though Maddie and Cal are just friends. As Betty explains, “Cal’s concern for Ty is admirable… Its’s the depth of his relationship with you that I question” (297). Betty thinks that the relationship between Maddie and Cal will alter Cal’s ability to teach (297). She urged Maddie to stay away from him and got upset when Maddie was defending herself (298). After this whole affair was over, Maddie went into the kitchen and conversed with Dana Sue. Dana Sue encouraged her to press on and get over it. As stated by Maddie, “Her warning to Betty to back off has been pure bravado, but now, with Dana Sue’s unquestioning support, she knew she could fight Betty, the school system or anyone else she had to” (300). Dana Sue’s support encouraged Maddie to overcome the challenge she faced and press on with her life. Dana Sue’s friendship helped Maddie figure out what to do next and encouraged her to let the argument go and focus on her new

When facing challenging moments, having a friend provides a reliable source of emotional support and motivation to keep pushing forward. Thanks for the encouragement and support of her friends Helen and Dana Sue, Maddie was able to gain the confidence she needed to successfully launch her own women’s fitness spa and provide for her family. If it weren’t for Dana Sue’s unwavering support, Maddie would have found it difficult to gather herself and move on with her life following the confrontation with Betty Donovan. If it weren’t for Helen’s generous offer, Dana Sue would still be concerned about her daughter’s health, and Helen wouldn’t have been able to alleviate her worries. In the novel, Stealing Home friendship is the key ingredient for the womens’ struggles. It emphasizes the importance of friendship in the women’s struggles. Without their bond, their lives would have been more difficult and lacking in