Friendship in “Winter Turning” by Tui T. Sutherland
As a child living in varied cultures, Tui T. Sutherland discovers the importance of befriending people different from herself. Living in four diverse countries, she likely masters the art of independence, but grasps the need for friendship. Friends do not just lead and follow each other, but they walk with one another in their journey of life. When people decide they do not need friends, they live their lives in loneliness, thinking their hardships are too great. In Winter Turning, Tui T.
Sutherland manifests the need for friendship in order to overcome life struggles.
Despite the fear of Winter’s parent’s disappointment, including his clawmates from the Jade Mountain Academy in his dangerous journey to find his sister, Icicle, unveils the importance of support. Sutherland exhibits their teamwork when Winter is going to be arrested in the rainforest and his clawmates defend him by “Stop it! Get off him! Moon yelled, …. He’s on our side! Kinkajou cried … Qibli chimed in, This one is honorable.
He’s no sneak-in-the-night assassin”(48-49). Winter fears disappointing his parents because Icewings are known to take care of themselves, but he knows support is extremely essential, even from other types of dragons. The reinforcement his clawmates provide prepares him for his mission and affords any assistance required for success in locating Icicle.
When their voyage leads the dragonets into Queen Scarlet’s vicious talons, the clawmates’ success exposes the benefits of help from friends in the midst of trials. During their adventure, as they rest on the beach for the night, Scarlet spies on them and sends a mysterious black dragon to capture Pyrite, one of their new dragon friends.
Initially, the black dragon pounces on Kinkajou, the smallest dragonet, then another dragon, Moon, is attacked next. Finally, Winter joins in, though “ there was no conscious thought involved. He was just there, barreling into the NightWing before the monster could stamp his sharp talons on Moon’s neck” (188). Sutherland shows that it does not matter what situation one is in, one should always stick up for another. Sutherland’s imagery of fierce defense among the dragonets exemplifies the significance of fortification among friends.
Sutherland suggests that friendship with others who are different from oneself makes overcoming life’s struggles easier. Every person has unique strengths and weaknesses.
Relationships with others who have different strengths bring cooperation which covers one’s own weaknesses and aids one in conquering difficult challenges. Friendships create a safety net so that a person does not have to struggle alone.
Works Cited
Sutherland, Tui T. Winter Turning. Scholastic Inc, 2016. “Tui T. Sutherland.” Scholastic Inc, 2019.
