The characters in Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence and the characters in What Maisie Knew each have a special meaning.
They all seem to be interwoven with one another portraying a new cycle in another characters life. For instance, in What Maisie Knew Mrs. Wix was introduced, in my opinion, at a time when Maisie needed a mother figure. Also, Sir Claude is introduced when she seems to need a father figure.
On the other hand, in Sons and Lovers there are not very many new characters introduced. However, the ones that are introduced seem to want to try and break the bond that Paul and his mother have.Thus, James and Law rence seem to be using similar themes with different surroundings and events. Although the circumstances are different, Henry James and D. H. Lawrence characterize the children as being Impoverished.
Henry James in his novel What Maisie Knew , portrays the main character, Maisie, as being impoverished emotionally. The emotional poverty that Maisie experiences in her life exist because of her parents extremely vicious hatred for each other. They use Maisie as a vessel for bitterness (13). To Beale and Ida, Maisie was just a tool that they used to hurt the other person.
Eventually, Maisie figured out that they were using her to be the bearer of brutily hateful messages. Consequently, she learned not to deliver such messages. This made her parents very angry and they decided that she had grown incredably dull. Thus, Maisie realized They had wanted her not for any good they could do her, but for harm they could, with her unconscious aid, do each other.
Unfortunately, Maisies emotions were of no concern to either parent. As a result, Maisie seldom experienced any meaningful affection from either of her parents. Furthermore, on the rare occasions when Maisies mother embraced her it was performed without any affection, or it is so convulsive that it makes her feel as though she had suddenly been thrust, with a smash of glass, into a jewellers shop-front… (112 Lawrence).Likewise, Maisies father subjects her to emotional neglect by reminding her that everything had changed on her account, everything ordered to enable him to give himself up to her. (17). This, in my opinion, was Beales way of telling Maisie that she was a bother to him, thus, she is unconsciously informed that she is not wanted.
The emotional poverty that Maisie lives with makes her feel that her parents made it hurt more than usual (17). Consequently, Maisies fate is sealed. Unconsciously she knows what is about to happen and she will have to live with the pain of knowing that her parents did not want her, thus, allowing others to raise the child. Similarly, D.H. Lawrence, in his novel Sons and Lovers, portrays the main character, Paul, as being emotionally poor. Emotionally, Paul is impoverished because of his feelings for his mother. The passion they feel for each other is, in my opinion, an emotional incest.
They act more as lovers than they do mother and son. For instance, when they were out together his mother felt like she was gay, like a sweetheart, and, Paul felt his heart contract with pain of love for her (Lawrence ). Because of this passion Paul does not allow himself to leave his mother. Eventually, when Mrs.
Morel tells Paul that she never really had a husband…, Paul starts assuming the mental role of the husband.Consequently, this mental action of being a husband to his mother, destroys any emotional relationships Paul tries to have with other women. For example, He is in love with Miriam, but, in my opinion , he feels that she cannot fufill him like his mother does.Also, he trys to have a relationship with Mrs. Dawes, however it seems to be more sexual and he helps her get back together with her husband. As a result, He feels that no woman can match up to his mother. Therefore, he has decided that he is unable to meet the right woman as long as she is alive.
As a result, Paul promises never to leave his mother. Therefore, like Maisie, Pauls fate is sealed. He will be destin to live a life of emotional poverty until his mother dies. When she dies Paul will then be able to take on a normal relationship with a female. In conclusion, The characters are in an emotional poverty caused by their parents inability to recognize that what they are doing is hurting their children emotionally. Lawrence and James choose to write this way so that it reflects the moral sense as well as the fate of the moral sense in a corrupt and sinister world.
The moral sense is the conscious which is reflected through Maisie and Paul. The characters that represent the consciousness seem to be full of unconditional love. For instance, when Maisies parents abandon her, she seems to get angry, however, she also seems to be happy. Also Paul seems to get angry at his mother for having such control over him, and, at the same time he feels a deep passionate love for her. James and Lawrence, in my opinion, are trying to get the readers drawn into the book and their own conscious mind.
Thus, making them more aware of their thoughts and surroundings. ————————————————————–
