Danielle Evans, esteemed American fiction writer, portrays the ultimate form of sacrifice and selflessness in her intriguing short story, “Robert E. Lee Is Dead”. Throughout the story, Evans highlights the positive and negative effects of dependent relationships amongst best friends in a southern, lower-class setting. Her story demonstrates multiple instances of reliance, peer pressure, and loyalty, while also having an interesting and superior plot. Evans’ main characters, Geena and Crystal, grow together throughout the story, despite their opposite personalities. Geena, a troublesome teenager, becomes best friends with a smart, shy girl named Crystal. Their friendship faces multiple obstacles, yet each girl relies on the companionship …show more content…
Both Geena and Crystal’s identities change throughout the story, all due to their mutual dependence and trust in one another. Evans intentionally develops the characters in a way that portrays the two girls as complete opposites; however, Crystal’s insecure nature leaves her identity vulnerable to Geena’s pressures. Crystal’s personality, outward appearance, and dialogue experience a major shift throughout the story that the reader can obviously witness. In describing Crystal’s assurance on Geena’s influences, Evans writes, “Geena taught me how to dance and how to steal” (Evans 203). Crystal values the teachings and guidance that Geena offers; her personality molds into a clone of her new best friend. While Crystal depends on the leadership of Geena, Geena also enjoys the authority role given to her in the friendship. Evans writes as if Geena values the trust and responsibility that Crystal is putting into her throughout the story. Evans’s story encompasses a level of friendship that interests not only readers, but scientists and professors around the world. In 2007, multiple notable professors from Utrecht University conducted a study focused on the commitment and stability