Comment on Lawrence’s use of symbols in Sons and Lovers.

Answer

Comment on Lawrence’s use of symbols in Sons and Lovers.

Sons and Lovers (1913) by D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930) is full of symbols that help us understand the characters and their emotions. These symbols make the story richer and more meaningful. They show the deep feelings of love, passion, and struggle between family members. Lawrence uses symbols from nature and daily life. Let us discuss the symbols below in broad terms.

Flowers – Beauty and Love: Flowers in the novel stand for beauty, love, and womanhood. The women in Paul’s life are often compared to flowers because they are gentle and lovely. Miriam, for example, treats flowers with care and respect. This shows her pure and spiritual kind of love. She loves Paul deeply, but her love is quiet and patient, not wild or physical. The flowers remind us that love can be both beautiful and fragile.

The Moon – Motherly Love and Control: The moon is closely linked with Mrs. Morel and her deep bond with Paul. When she is pregnant and sad, the moonlight gives her peace and hope. The moon becomes a symbol of her dreams for her son. But later, it also shows how her love becomes too strong and controlling. The moon shines only with borrowed light from the sun, just as Paul and his mother depend on each other too much. This dependence slowly destroys their happiness.

Darkness – Hidden Feelings and Confusion: Darkness often appears in the story when Paul feels mixed emotions or inner conflict. It stands for things he cannot understand or admit. When Paul takes Miriam into the dark woods, he feels both love and fear. He wishes the darkness were “thicker.” It means he wants to hide his confusion. Later, when he walks with Clara at night, his anger and desire come out together. Darkness also appears when Paul fights Baxter Dawes and when he thinks of death after his mother’s passing. In all these moments, darkness shows his pain and his lost sense of direction.

Fire – Passion and Destruction: Fire in the novel has two sides. It means passion and warmth, but also danger and destruction. When Paul feels a strong desire for Miriam, Lawrence writes,

“The whole of his blood seemed to burst into flame.”

This shows how deeply Paul feels. But sometimes, this passion leads to trouble. When Paul and Miriam are lost in each other, bread and potatoes burn at home. The burning food is a simple symbol of how passion can destroy peace. Also, when William burns his love letters to please Mrs. Morel, the fire shows how her love consumes her sons’ lives. Fire, then, becomes a symbol of both love’s power and its danger.

The Swing and Stockings – Emotional Struggle and Women’s Limits: The swing in Paul and Miriam’s story shows the rise and fall of their relationship. When they sit on the swing, they move back and forth, but never move ahead. This is just like their love, full of ups and downs, but no clear future. Miriam’s fear of the swing shows her hesitation to go too far.

The stockings, on the other hand, show how women are limited in society. Mrs. Morel and Miriam both wish to study and follow their dreams. But their families and social rules stop them. The stockings remind us of how women are “tied” by expectations and cannot move freely.

In conclusion, D. H. Lawrence uses symbols to make the story deep and emotional. Flowers, the moon, darkness, fire, the swing, and stockings all express the hidden feelings of the characters. They show love, pain, and the fight for freedom in a world full of limits. These symbols turn an ordinary story into a touching picture of human life and emotion.