Friendship Theme Analysis

The first time Ghost shows up to track practice, he comes across it accidentally. After challenging Lu—the Defenders’ fastest rookie—to a race and giving him a run for his money, Ghost tells Coach Brody that he only runs for himself. Ghost’s statement is both a literal response to Coach Brody, who had asked him what team he ran for, and a larger encapsulation of his character. Following a traumatic incident in his youth, Ghost feels alone. Although there are people he loves, like his mother, and people he feels connected to, like his friend Red Griffin, he ultimately thinks of himself as a lone wolf. He keeps secrets that he does not share with anyone and prefers spending time alone rather than with others. However, after joining the track team, Ghost’s attitude begins to change. He starts to see the value in forming close relationships built on mutual trust, especially after the annual rookie dinner that Coach Brody puts on. At the rookie dinner, all of the new members of the track team share a secret about themselves, which makes them feel closer to one another. The next day at practice, the rookies stand up for one another and work better as a team. There is an obvious performance benefit to the rookies’ deepening relationship, as well as a psychological one, particularly for Ghost who has never felt such a bond before. By the end of the novel, Ghost feels more confident in himself because of the bond he forms with other members of the track team, especially Lu, who backs Ghost up when Ghost’s bully, Brandon Simmons, starts talking trash. As such, the novel suggests that friendship, rather than being something that’s just nice to have, is essential to helping someone feel secure, cared for, and can even help them become a better person.