We Stan Phoebe (and Similar Siblings)
I love Phoebe. Part of this is my bias from being very in my feels about my relationship with my older brother this week, but their relationship is iconic and THE moment. I think seeing this story makes you reflect on the potential power of having a sibling. It’s like a built-in friend. The social and emotional significance of having someone with the same family background and traumas, and then being able to grow up with that person is what saves Holden. In a world of condescending, misunderstanding, and jaded people, Holden finds respite in his siblings. He sees glimpses of the purity he’s seeking in nuns and martyrs in his life, but he returns to Phoebe because of the depth of understanding and relative permanence of family. I hesitate to feed into the “it’s your family” thread because it’s certainly not the case that you must love and trust your family. In Holden’s case, his parents have probably made him feel more isolated and traumatized more than they have ever helped. Yet even