Discovery and Change in Judy Blume's Summer Sisters

Cover of Summer Sisters

Judy Blume’s Summer Sisters is deeper than a typical coming-of-age novel; it’s a fun and thrilling, and sometimes unsettling representation and reminder of how growth can change you, your relationships, and your values. The novel follows friends Victoria “Vix” Leonard and Caitlin Somers over 18 influential summers, from the start of their friendship at age 12 to their 30th birthdays. Despite their contrasting backgrounds and personalities, the two forge a deep bond that carries them through adolescence and stays with them in adulthood. The book explores themes of friendship, identity, love, and above all, change. Blume captures the intensity of growing up, demonstrating the way people try on different versions of themselves and how relationships can both shape and challenge who we become.

The author contrasts the two characters to show the similarities and differences in how the girls' varying perspectives are affected by growing up. From the moment Caitlin and Vix meet, their friendship is defined by contrast. Caitlin is spontaneous, wealthy, and confident, while Vix is cautious, observant, and from a more modest background. Their differences initially draw them together, with Vix admiring Caitlin’s boldness and attempting to measure herself by her friend’s standards. Judy Blume uses this imbalance to show how identity can form through comparison. Vix shapes herself through her role as Caitlin’s counterpart, but as the summers pass, that dynamic begins to feel limiting. The more Caitlin acts impulsively, the more Vix seeks balance and control. Blume conveys that discovering who you are sometimes means realizing who you are not.

Martha’s Vineyard, where the girls spend their summers, serves as more than just a setting. The location functions as a symbol of transformation. Away from their regular everyday lives, both characters experiment with new versions of themselves. The island becomes a place of freedom where expectations and pressures fade, allowing them to explore identity on their own terms. For Vix, this escape gives her a sense of belonging she lacks at home, while for Caitlin, it offers the perfect stage for her constant reinvention. However, as Blume shows, this freedom is temporary. Each time the summer ends, the girls return to the real world, and the versions of themselves they tried out begin to fall apart. The shifting seasons mirror their emotional growth: the endless youthful summers eventually give way to the responsibilities of adulthood. Through this cyclical setting, Blume shows how identity changes with time and circumstance.

As the novel progresses, the friendship between Caitlin and Vix becomes strained, revealing how outgrowing relationships can be part of self-discovery. Their lives begin to move in different directions. Vix chooses a more stable, grounded path, and Caitlin continues to chase excitement and escape. Blume presents this separation, not as failure, but as an inevitable and inescapable part of growing up. Blume portrays the end of their close friendship with empathy, but not regret. Through this, she shows that emotional distance can be a sign of maturity rather than loss. By the end, Vix’s understanding of herself no longer depends on Caitlin’s presence. The girl who once followed her friend’s lead through every situation has learned to make her own choices. Through this evolution, Blume illustrates that growing up means carrying with you your past experiences, but not remaining defined by them. In Summer Sisters, Blume captures the painful but necessary process of self-reinvention, showing how people must sometimes step away from the people who shaped them to truly discover who they are.