Then, considering difficulties in adult friendships, Klein gives an example of how early dynamics can be painfully reactivated, even leading to the end of a friendship:
Whenever a friendship between women is broken, though this may be due to difficulties in the present, past emotional situations always play a part in bringing this about. Let us say one of the friends, whom we will call A, had always taken the lead to a certain extent, and this was felt by B as a friendly and kind support. If A becomes more dominating in a way that makes B feel too dependent, B may be hurt by this and resent it bitterly…