The theme of dependence is dominant from the start in Lore's relationship with Spanner. She arrives "naked and nameless in the city." (5) When she first encounters Spanner, she is lying on the gorund, utterly helpless. Spanner nearly leaves her, but finally decides to help. Then, as Lore goes back to Spanner's home, she realizes that she "needed this woman, Spanner; depended on her, in a way that was shocking." (11) For Lore, a child of privelege, confident in her education and her ability, this is a very difficult situation to accept. It is made even harder by the fact that she quickly finds herself in Spanner's debt, and forced to agree to join in her illegal activities in order to pay that debt. Her dependence is brought home to her by the fact that, while Spanner does ask her if she is willing, in reality she has no choice because she has nowhere else to turn.
As Lore's relationship with Spanner continues, her dependence on Spanner for everything, from a place to hide to her goals and purpose every day begin to conflict with the individual she was before. Just before Spanner begins to teach her to steal, Lore meets Hyn and Zimmer, two fences. At first she doesn't know what to say, but then "her early training, the endless meetings with local and national dignitaries, took over." (83) Then though, she is reminded of her dependence on Spanner, and she seems to draw away from her training. Subsequently, the two go out to steal slates, and Lore is taking her cues on what to say and how to act from Spanner. She listens to the other's stories, and uses her tactics. Her training is now essentially useless, and her dependent state causes her to develop, in a way, a new persona.
Eventualy, Lore does make her way out from Spanner's shadow. This takes place over a period of time, and of course involves her finally getting a job and her own place to live, and all the steps she takes to pay Spanner back. However, I think the whole process may have begun somewhat earlier, in a surprising way. When Lore and Spanner go into the porn shop under their flat, we see for the first time Lore beginning to assert herself. While they are in the shop, she keeps making derogatory comments about the quality of the porn - "I can do better than that;" "I was doing better work than this three years ago," (173) and so on. And Spanner responds. Lore's knowledge and ability have impressed her, and clearly given her the idea to have lore make better porn. Of course, at this time in the story Lore is still very much dependent on Spanner. However, by finally going back to something from her past, something of herself that is valuable and unique, she takes the first steps in psychologically freeing herself from that dependency.