The Getting of Wisdom · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Getting of Wisdom by Henry Handel Richardson.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to an unnamed little collaborator, acknowledging a shared creative effort.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The chapter opens with a biblical epigraph from Proverbs 4:7, emphasizing the supreme value of wisdom and the pursuit of understanding.
Chapter 3
The Getting of Wisdom
Laura Rambotham leaves her family home to attend boarding school, experiencing a mix of excitement and anxiety. She is accompanied by her mother and younger siblings to the train station, where she says goodbye and begins her journey into a new world of education and social dynamics.
Chapter 4
I
On her last night at home before leaving for boarding school, Laura Rambotham cuts off one of her prized curls to bind a bouquet for her mother, hoping to prove her selflessness. Her mother reacts with anger, upset that Laura has disfigured herself. Laura feels misunderstood and retreats to her room, but her natural buoyancy returns as she finds a way to hide the gap. The chapter establishes the tension between Laura's desire for approval and her mother's stern expectations, as well as Laura's pride in her hair and her dramatic fainting spell that has set her apart in the family.
Chapter 5
II
On the morning of her departure for boarding school, Laura awakens and deliberately avoids a private conversation with her mother, fearing another uncomfortable talk about growing up. She hides in the summerhouse until called for breakfast. Her mother, anxious and stern, prepares sandwiches for the journey while Sarah and the younger children fuss over Laura. After a tense breakfast, Laura says goodbye to her beloved garden, pets, and siblings, extracting promises from them to care for her animals. The chapter ends with Laura dressing hastily as the coach arrives.

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Dedication

Epigraph

The Getting of Wisdom

I

II