How to write a essay on "friendship."Need further explanation

If the prompt is simply to write about the subject of
friendship, you have a couple of options for how to go about writing.  In my classroom,
students would read a prompt like this and know to write either an
extended definition essay or a
compare-contrast essay.  In this case, extended definition
might be easier.

In order to begin
this paper, you must ask, "What does friendship mean to me?"  Follow this question with
another, "Considering the idea of friendship, what have I experienced personally,
observed, or read about, that would help me explain what it is?"  Then, make a long list
of your experiences, observations, and things you've read that help you to explain
friendship.  It is very important in this step (as well as in this
essay) to explain friendship through examples.  Simply
speaking from a philosophical (and therefore detached) point-of-view will be too
generic.

Once you've brainstormed ideas in each of the
above categories, consider a way to define friendship in one or two sentences.  This
will be your thesis statement.  One way this essay could
become a compare-contrast essay (in addition to definition) is by saying what friendship
isn't as compared to what it is.  Once you've
put down a one or two sentence definition (thesis) your three subtopics (and therefore,
three body paragraphs) easily become 1) experiences, 2) observations, and 3)
readings.

Remember to use plenty of
real examples.  Elaborate on and explain your examples as they
apply to your thesis statement.