014 - Chapter XIV

Henry Handel Richardson, the pen name of Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, was born in 1870 into a relatively affluent family that later faced financial difficulties. Growing up in various Victorian towns, Richardson attended the Presbyterian Ladies College in Melbourne from ages 13 to 17—a pivotal experience that shaped her novel, The Getting of Wisdom. The story follows Laura Tweedle Rambotham, the imaginative eldest daughter of a country family, who delights in spinning romantic tales for her younger siblings and is an avid reader. Proud yet sensitive, Laura struggles to meet her mother’s expectations, as her mother, a widow supporting the family with her embroidery, finds her challenging to manage. At twelve, Laura is sent to boarding school in Melbourne, where her sheltered upbringing leaves her feeling shocked and humiliated. Surrounded by girls from wealthier backgrounds, Laura learns quickly to hide her familys modest means to avoid ridicule, but vulnerability seeps through as she inadvertently reveals snippets of her life, leading to painful consequences. (Summary by Wikipedia)