How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Everywhere she ran, she heard the same words, like a drumbeat, in her mind: alone in the world, alone in the world. It wasn't exactly true. She had friends. And she had Mrs. Murdo, who was somewhere between a friend and a relative. (11.17)
Lina's not really alone after Granny dies, but dealing with death is such a serious thing, it kind of feels that way. To Lina, having friends is proof that she's not alone in the world. Why friends? Well, she doesn't have any family left except for Poppy, so there's that. Also, to a kid (remember, Lina's twelve), it can seem like friends are your world, or at least your social world.
Quote #8
But just at that moment, Lizzie tripped…Lina reached for Lizzie's arm. "Did you hurt yourself?" she asked, but Lizzie went scrambling after the cans so quickly it was clear she wasn't hurt. (11.38)
We're getting the picture that Lina's a pretty considerate friend. She'll listen to Lizzie's nervous ramblings, and her first thought after Lizzie falls is to ask whether Lizzie is okay. In response, Lizzie tries to pick up her stolen goods as fast as she can, so that no one will notice them. Good game plan, Lizzie. Let's see how you feel about your friends when your illicit canned goods run out and you're left alone and hungry.
Quote #9
She realized all at once that Doon—thin, dark-eyed Doon with his troublesome temper and his terrible brown jacket and his good heart—was the person that she knew better than anyone now. He was her best friend. (12.56)
It's a nice side effect of all this mystery and conspiracy that Lina and Doon become friends again. And since they're older than the first time around (when they were friends in grade school), their friendship seems more real, more substantial. It's like if you were forced by your parents to take piano lessons when you were a kid, but later in life, you took up the piano again because you discovered that you really love it. Friendship should be a choice, something freely entered into, don't you think?