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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/37580
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I heard an ingenious little explanation for why characters always seem to have either a best friend or many strong friends around them. This applies primarily to movies or TV shows but also to books where your point of view (POV) doesn't allow you to get inside your character's head.

We all have an _inner voice_, which is like a verbal running commentary on all and sundry, that exists inside our own mind. What this inner voice does, generally, is give advice, weigh up options, complain about family, worry about the future, rehash what happened in the past, bitch about authority figures etc. etc.

The thing is - it's not easy to show this _inner monologue_ in movies, TV dramas and books without a close POV, so a device had to be invented to cope with these situations. The result? Yep, you guessed it: friends!

Instead of showing characters talking to themselves, the writer can instead portray them talking things through with their friends. Therefore, the reason that a protagonist must have deep relationships, i.e. friend-related bonds with other people is that it is a device for them to be able to discuss things in a more naturalistic way than sitting alone in their flat, mumbling to themselves over a microwave meal whilst (ironically) watching a re-run of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Good luck with your writing.

Original score: 2