Final answer:
The author suggests that friendliness is a complex trait that can be genuine or influenced by personal motives and situations, and it plays a significant role in the interpersonal dynamics of characters in the given literary texts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the passages provided from various texts, the idea the author has about friendliness seems to be multifaceted and context-dependent. In some instances, characters exhibit friendliness through kindness and compassion, such as Dorothy's perspective towards the poor or the positive qualities praised by Mr. Mortimer Jones.
However, there are complex behaviors that suggest friendliness might also be coupled with underlying judgment or self-interest, as shown in the excerpt with Goodman Brown. The young woman in another passage is mentioned to have treated Dorothy kindly, indicating that friendliness is a valued trait in social interactions, even if it's not the main focus of the character's role.
The overarching theme is that friendliness, whether genuine or tainted by situation and personal motives, plays a significant role in interpersonal dynamics within these literary works.