In the book "Commencement" by J. Courtney Sullivan, the Smithies are depicted as a close-knit group with blurred boundaries between individual identities. Their relationships are so intertwined that it's often difficult to distinguish where one person ends and another begins, highlighting their deep bond and complex connections.

As Sullivan describes, their unity is so tight that their individual lines of presence often merge, emphasizing their collective identity rather than separate entities. This portrayal underlines the theme of familial and personal closeness, illustrating how intertwined relationships can become indistinguishable at times.