There’s something heartwarming about a romantic couple that knew each other as children. Maybe it’s that return to innocence, or a sense that destiny is on your side, but I find these kinds of stories hopeful and encouraging.
My favorite example of this is probably Deanna and Michael from For Better or for Worse. My sister was obsessed with that comic growing up, so my parents bought her just about every book and I got to read them all. I still remember when Deanna showed up again, after seven or eight books: at first, I was like “holy cow, is it the same girl from way back when Michael was a little boy?” And then he started dating her, and I was like “YES!!!”
Another good example is Phantom of the Opera, with Christine and Raoul. Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain also had a long-running friendship between Taran and Eilonwy, which eventually took a romantic turn. Apparently, Jane Austen was also fond of this trope, though I haven’t read enough of her to be able to say.
A lot of times, this trope is coupled with a childhood marriage promise. It doesn’t have to be, though; I just love the thought that Calvin and Susie eventually end up together, even though they hate each other as kids. As a storytelling device, this trope can also work well in conjunction with first girl wins.
Sometimes, though, the love is unrequited. In many stories, this happens when one of the friends thinks their relationship is more like a brother and sister thing. The scientific rationale for this is called the Westermarck effect, where people become sexually desensitized to those with whom they grow up together. A good example of this would probably be Cyrano de Bergerac; the whole nose thing was more a self-esteem issue for Cyrano than a turnoff for Roxane.
In the Middle East, where it’s still common for first cousins to marry, this trope tends to be a lot more prevalent. In Arabic 202, we read several magazine stories about couples who fell in love after growing up together. There might be a bit of a squick factor there for Western readers, though–and that’s something you have to look out for with this trope. If the characters really are like brother and sister, and they get together anyway…ew.
So there you have it. For an innocent, hopeful, satisfying romance or romantic subplot–or a crushingly depressing tale of unrequited love–the childhood friend romance trope can be used to great effect.
I agree.
The prog rock band Ayreon has a concept album called The Human Equation in which the married couple were friends from childhood. The storyline is a little tragic, but you can feel that childhood friendship.
My wife and I have been married long enough it feels like we’ve known each other since we were kids – does that count?
Heh, perhaps. If you think about it, the thing that makes this trope so heartwarming is the way the relationship changes over time, and how even after so many years, the love is stronger than ever. We’re constantly changing and growing, so after a lifetime spent with someone, it’s probably natural to feel like you knew each other since you were little.