The Getting of Wisdom · Question
How does The Getting of Wisdom develop the theme of Social Conformity vs. Individuality?
Answer
The Getting of Wisdom by Henry Handel Richardson develops Social Conformity vs. Individuality across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Laura struggles to fit into the rigid social hierarchy of the boarding school, learning to suppress her true feelings and opinions to gain acceptance, while her rebellious and imaginative nature constantly clashes with the demand to be like everyone else.
Laura struggles with the pressure to conform to the school's expectations, as seen in her desire to please Mrs. Gurley and her embarrassment over her mother's choice of hat.
Laura's unusual name and background mark her as an outsider, and she struggles to conform to the school's social norms.
Laura's impulsive and informal behavior clashes with the school's strict code of conduct, leading to public humiliation and her subsequent withdrawal.
Evidence in the book
- IV
Laura struggles with the pressure to conform to the school's expectations, as seen in her desire to please Mrs. Gurley and her embarrassment over her mother's choice of hat.
- V
Laura's unusual name and background mark her as an outsider, and she struggles to conform to the school's social norms.
- VII
Laura's impulsive and informal behavior clashes with the school's strict code of conduct, leading to public humiliation and her subsequent withdrawal.
- IX
Laura's attempt to display her musical talent and her bold question about the painting violate unspoken school codes, leading to ostracism and reinforcing the pressure to conform.
- The Purple Dress and the Price of Conformity
Laura learns that 'the unpardonable sin is to vary from the common mould,' and her mother's eccentric dressmaking becomes a source of intense social shame.
- XII
Laura struggles to conform to her peers' expectations, feeling that her unique thoughts and empathy for Annie Johns set her apart and put her at risk of being ostracized.
- XIV
Laura feels pressured to conform to Tilly's standards of dress and behavior, borrowing a sash and suppressing her own preferences.
- XV
Laura feels like a 'heretic' because she cannot share her classmates' single-minded focus on marriage as the goal, emphasizing her struggle between conformity and her own uncertain vision of the future.
