# Friendship and the Desire for Belonging in The Getting of Wisdom

> Theme guide for The Getting of Wisdom by Henry Handel Richardson.

Laura's intense longing for a true friend, her strategic cultivation of influential girls like M. P., and her eventual deep bond with Evelyn illustrate the crucial role of friendship in navigating the loneliness and cruelty of school life.

## Where it surfaces

- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/v): Laura desperately seeks acceptance, first from Maria Morell's protection, then through tearful isolation when rejected.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/viii): Laura's longing for connection is evident in her relief at returning to school, where she feels more at home.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xi): Laura's uneasy friendship with Lilith and her desperate need to fit in drive her actions and fears.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xii): Laura desperately wants to feel the same as her peers and be accepted, but her different perspective makes her fear being cast out like Annie.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xv): Laura seeks advice from Chinky and Maria, but their responses highlight her isolation; she observes her friends' social success with a mix of admiration and repulsion.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xvii): Laura's lies are driven by her need for acceptance among her peers, while her interaction with Chinky reveals the strain on her friendships due to her deceit.
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xviii): Laura's desperate need for admiration and belonging drives her to fabricate stories. Her fall from grace results in complete ostracization, highlighting the fragility of social bonds and the pain of rejection.
- [The Rebel's Return](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xx): Laura's desperate efforts to win M. P.'s approval and re-enter the social fold, highlighting her deep need for belonging.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xxi): Laura's invitation to the Literary Society is a key step in her social reintegration; her prickly behavior and desire for approval from Cupid and Mary highlight her ongoing need for belonging.
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xxii): Laura's longing for genuine connection is fulfilled through Evelyn's unexpected friendship, which provides acceptance and warmth.
- [Gut und böse und Lust und Leid und Ich und Du](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xxiii): Laura's intense, possessive friendship with Evelyn highlights her desperate need for belonging and her fear of abandonment.
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/chapters/xxv): The three friends part with promises that are never kept, illustrating the transient nature of school friendships.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/themes/friendship_and_belonging
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_getting_of_wisdom_se/themes