The definition of friendship is determined by the participants and the context in which it takes place, and the impacts of this relationship depend on what can be offered by each individual . This assertion will be explored in four texts; two films titled Stand By Me directed by Rob Reiner and Men In Black directed by Barry Sonnenfield, and two novels titled Walking Naked by Alyssa Brugman and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Many different friendships are presented in these texts. Therefore, similarities and differences will be compared in order to reach a conclusion about the nature of friendship. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayStand By Me depicts the friendship between Gordy and Chris, eleven-year-old boys who grew up together in a small town in the 1960s. The two boys appear to be very different from each other - Gordy is calm, sensitive and thoughtful while Chris is the leader of the group and is considered a "tough guy". As the film progresses, Chris gradually reveals his true feelings to Gordy and Gordy sees Chris as the only person he can count on. They share an intimate and unique bond through mutual trust and loyalty. Chris still looks out for Gordy and expresses this when he says, "If your parents are too fucked up to take care of you, then maybe I should." The characters' different outlooks on life allow them to offer something important to friendship. Gordy looks ahead with despondency so Chris tries to convince him of his wonderful opportunities, and when Chris tells him of the limited future he believes he has, Gordy gives him hope because he thinks Chris has a chance to succeed. Establish a good career. In one conversation, the contrasting views emerge when Chris exclaims to Gordy, "You're an asshole if your friends drag you down!" This friendship impacts both individuals as they fulfill their predictions for each other. The circumstances of this film strengthen the relationship between Gordy and Chris as the characters have experiences together during the journey: one of these events is the climatic moment of the film. When the other two boys abandon Chris, Gordy is the only one to stand by him – this is shown through medium shots of the boys as a united force and emphasized in the film's title and theme song. Unlike other texts, the friendship in Stand By Me began before the events of the story, allowing for a more complex relationship to develop and a greater level of intensity to be achieved. In comparison, the friendship between Agents K and J in Men In Black begins with the action of the film so it doesn't have the same opportunity to reach the intensity of the friendship previously mentioned. The relationship between K and J begins with K in the role of mentor and J as his student. These two characters are very different: K, as an older agent, is calm, self-possessed, and knowledgeable, while J, as a new recruit, is enthusiastic, fiery, and exceedingly independent. A good example of their opposing characteristics is a scene in which an alien escapes in a taxi and J recklessly chases after him on foot. When he realizes there is no hope of catching the alien, K pulls up next to him in a car. K had the foresight and experience to know that this was the only realistic option. K and J's different qualities make the friendship impact both parties. K becomes more open and shows his emotional side, and J matures, becoming less arrogant and more reliable. Although the characters only begin inas colleagues, they begin to trust each other and form a friendship. J sees K's vulnerability for the first time when he discovers that he misses his wife, whom he had to leave for the MiB agency. J comments: "The grumpy guy story is starting to pick up a bit here." The close-ups used for this photo show K's sad face, revealing his desire to see his wife again. The test of their friendship comes when K deliberately gets eaten by an alien to get his swallowed weapon back and tells J not to allow the alien to leave Earth. J risks his life, selflessly following his partner's instructions to save him. At the end of the film, J reveals his dependence on K when the older agent makes it known that he is retiring and J exclaims "I can't do this job alone!" He finally showed his weakness and dependence on his friend. Their differences allowed them to give each other something valuable, instead of tearing them apart. The differences between the individuals in Walking Naked have a more tragic outcome. This friendship revolves around Megan and Perdita, two teenagers from the same school but from very different backgrounds. Megan has a good home life and is the leader of the "group" at school while Perdita is part of an unhappy family and is "the most despised creature in the entire school" - girls have points of view and completely opposite characteristics. Through a chance circumstance in detention, they find themselves developing a difficult and unconventional friendship. The major obstacle the couple tries to overcome (but fails to do) in this relationship is accepting each other's weaknesses and, despite this, remaining friends. In the same way that Megan cannot understand that pride is Perdita's weakness, Perdita cannot accept that Megan is vulnerable to others' opinions of her. This flaw is tragically highlighted when their friendship is tested and Megan fails. First person narrative and hindsight are used to show Megan's feelings - "I betrayed the only friend I ever had, in the most public and unforgivable way." The impact that each participant feels due to the friendship is considerable - after Megan's rejection. she, Perdita commits suicide, an act which has a devastating and ultimately liberating effect on Megan. At the end of the novel, Megan references one of the many poems used earlier in the text, stating that she too "learned the business by walking naked", showing the effect that Perdita's uncompromising nature has had on her. This friendship is extremely different from Gordy's. and Chris's or K and J's relationships. Gordy and Chris's friendship is based on intimacy and trust, and K and J's is the result of camaraderie and respect. However, Megan and Perdita in Walking Naked have a less ideal relationship in which circumstances do not allow them to form a powerful, permanent bond. Another friendship interrupted by unforeseen circumstances is the relationship between Nick and Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. These characters are also very different from each other, as in the other texts, allowing each of them to bring something distinct to the relationship. Nick is conservative, routine, and realistic, while Gatsby is romantic, scheming, and dreamy – all things that attract Nick in his quest for adventure. Nick is also attracted to Gatsby's charisma; he says that Gatsby's smile "understood you to the extent that you want to be understood." While Nick is deeply involved and sympathizes with Gatsby's actions throughout the text, Gatsby is preoccupied in his pursuit of Daisy. Tea at Nick's cottage is an example: Gatsby uses Nick as a route by which he.