Question

Who do you think exhibits true friendship–Baldwin or Gresham? Justify your answer.

Answer 1

This is a typical question for which much can be said on both sides. Both Baldwin and Gresham exhibit true friendship from their respective sides. Baldwin is rich in great virtues like loyalty, honesty, frugality, and valuing human relationships. He is loyal to Gresham with a thirty-five-year-old friendship. But the moment Gresham parts ways with honesty, Baldwin would part ways with him. The greatest compliment ever paid to Baldwin is not from Martha, Evie, or John but Gresham. Gresham meets Marshall and confesses that Baldwin is an honest man whose honesty cannot be purchased even with one hundred thousand dollars.

He is poor earning just 60 dollars a week, now even that is gone as the bank is closed. He is richer than Gresham in terms of uprightness and honesty. Baldwin, being a friend, shows Gresham the right path even when he realizes that his friends would be at stake. Thiruvalluvar says, “Friendship is not meant for just laughing and having fun but to criticize a friend when he is wrong.” Likewise, it is Baldwin who compels Gresham to close the bank and ensure the deposits through honest means. He doesn’t want to support friendship when a friend parts ways with honesty. He doesn’t openly articulate his unwillingness to accept the bait but his uncomfortable silence says it all. Thus both exhibit true friendship towards one another.