The BFG: Tests, Enemies And Allies

Question: How did the tests and enemies of the Giant Country, the Special World in Sophie's journey, cause the friendship between Sophie and the BFG to become stronger?

Answer: After Sophie arrived in Giant Country following the BFG's snatching of her, she learned she had been caught by the only benevolent giant in the world and had to be kidnapped by the BFG when he saw her because if she would have told the world she saw a giant, the safety of him and the evil giants in Giant Country would be at risk. Also, he wouldn't be able to complete his job of catching dreams while in Dream World and, by putting them into the end of his magical trumpet, blow them into children's ears for a pleasant dream every night. Both are very different, the BFG standing 25 feet while Sophie stands about four, but it is their similarities that cause them to become friends. Sophie and the BFG have both lived very lonely lives, Sophie in the orphanage and the BFG in his cave in Giant Country, but have always wanted a friend to be there for them. This common desire causes the two to quickly become friends shortly after they arrive in Giant Country after returning from Sophie orphanage in England. However, in my opinion, it is the numerous tests and enemies that the two face together in this strange Special World that cause the friendship between them to grow.

Early in the story, the Bloodbottler, one of the meanest of the giants in Giant Country decides to go into the BFG's cave to stir up some trouble while the BFG was showing Sophie a snozzecumber, the only food that grows in Giant Country. When the Bloodbottler enters, the BFG distracts the giant long enough to give Sophie enough time to hid. When Sophie was hidden, the BFG then decided to attempt to get rid of the giant by offering a bite of the disgusting snoozecumber he was eating in hopes the awful taste of the vegetable would cause him to leave. However, the snoozecumber was the location that Sophie chose to hide in so when the Bloodbottler decided to take a bite of the snoozecumber, he also ate Sophie. Luckily, the giant spat the vegetable out right away and ran out of the cave immediately while Sophie was able to survive the near death experience. This part of the plot, obviously, was very serious, but it resulted in the BFG showing his love for Sophie as he ensured she was okay, apologized and helped clean her off.

Another test that brought the two closer together as friends was when the BFG invited Sophie to travel to Dream World with him because he had enough trust in her to bring her to this special place. Here, Sophie helped the BFG catch dreams that would be used to help the children of the world to sleep well while learning about the many tricks the BFG uses to catch these small and silent balls of light. This test displayed the BFG's trust in Sophie because it was the first time he had ever allowed anyone to come here with him.

One of the last large tests that would build the relationship between the two was when the BFG found a nightmare or "trugglehumper" while in Dream World and decided to use his trumpet and some assistance from Sophie to blow the dream into the Fleshlumpeater's ear while the giants were sleeping. The bad dream caused the Fleshlumpeater to kick another giant and start a large melee between the giants as they woke up. This test proved to the two that, with some hard work, good ideas, assistance from others and luck, the two would be able to defeat the giants and save the children of the world.

In the end, these tests and enemies that were found in the Special World, as well as their similar characteristics, caused the BFG and Sophie to become very good friends. This friendship, common hate for the giants and desire for a safe world where giants don't eat children, caused the two to create a plan that would hopefully rid the Earth of giants forever.