Relationship Between Vivian And Molly - 1125 Words

In any genuine friendship there are the differences between the people that spark curiosity, yet, it is similarities that draw two together to form a tight bond. This is evident in the friendship that starts between Vivian and Molly. Vivian, from outward show, does not display the slightest similarity with Molly. It is not until one examines the often tragic back stories of both that striking parallels begin to be made clear. By the time all is uncovered, the likenesses shared between Vivian and Molly far outweigh any disparities. In examining the relationship between Vivian and Molly, a perfect balance is struck in Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. In Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline weaves a strong friendship between two characters, Vivian and Molly, despite a lengthy list of differences. The most blatant contrast, and the root cause of many other differences, is age and the separate eras both Vivian and Molly grow up in. In the span of her life, Vivian Nielsen, a ninety-one year old widow, experiences the Great Depression, World War II, and a technology boom impossible to keep up with. On the other hand, Molly Ayer is a sixteen year old tech-savvy foster child who uses â€Å"her Goth persona like armor† against an unsympathetic society (Kline 4). Another dissimilarity is ethnicity. Vivian is a first generation Irish immigrant and in being a Penobscot Native American Indian, Molly is unable to be more different than Vivian. While these differences seem apparent, the