Chapter 7, 8, 9: Sons and Lovers

Sons and Lovers

Chapter 7:

After Paul starts to visit the farm, Miriam distant herself from him because she believes he will not like her, as her brothers do. We learn she is into religion, craves education and wants to rid herself of the farm title. After Paul visits one day, they starts to talk which led to the development of  a relationship between the two. They spend more time together and she expresses her need to learn so Paul teaches Miriam algebra. At home however, Paul paints, then shows them to Miriam. One day, Miriam shows Paul a rose bush and they become engrossed in each other; Paul leaves for home but wonders why his mother thinks lowly of Miriam. Because he stayed out late, Paul and his mother have a fight, but make up shortly. Paul and Miriam become closer and soon after, Miriam realizes that she is in love with Paul. Soon Paul realizes that he is falling in love with Miriam but denies it. On a trip they almost kiss. The morels who dislike Miriam becomes angered with her even further and even Paul turns his back on her.

Chapter 8:

Arthur gets a job, but one day Mrs. Morel gets news that Arthur joins the army. She wants to get him out but Paul is convinced that the army will benefit him. Meanwhile, Paul wins a prize for his painting. Paul is introduced to Clara Dawes by Miriam. She is separated from her husband, Baxter Dawes; Paul dislikes him. Paul gets promoted at his job while Annie is engaged. Paul begins teaching Miriam French and she writes a love letter to him. They almost kiss but Paul gets up to turn the now burning bread that his mother left him to watch. Mrs. Morel gets home angry for having to struggle home with the groceries and Annie and Mrs. Morel argue with Paul for paying so much attention to Miriam. When Paul makes a comment Mrs. Morel is hurt and she feels as if Miriam is replacing her but Paul disagrees. Mr. morel takes a piece of a pie to which he finds out it is not his so he throws it in the fire and Paul gets angry, then Mrs. Morel faints from the near fight. She eventually recovers.

Chapter 9:

The relationship between Paul and Miriam becomes strained with tension as he treats her coldly; finally he breaks off their relationship. However, Paul and Mrs. Morel continue to bond and their relationship is strengthened. Although Paul severs his ties with Miriam, he still visits the farm and hangs out with Edgar. Miriam, on Paul’s visit, re-introduces Clara once more and Paul is enthralled by her body. All the while when the three individuals are out, Paul’s attention is on Clara’s body. Annie gets married but afterwards, Paul promises his mother that he shall never get married. Eventually, Mrs. Morel buys Arthur out of the Army and soon after that he and Beatrice become a couple. Every time Paul and Miriam Hang out with Clara, Miriam feels hurt because all of Paul’s attention is always turned to Clara. Soon after, he writes Miriam a letter calling her a nun and they can never love each other physically.

Chapter 4, 5, 6: sons and lovers

Sons and Lovers

Chapter 4:

Paul becomes mature and sensitive which allowed Annie to become attached to him. He accidentally jumps on Annie’s doll and out of a weird vibe, he ‘sacrifices’ the doll by burning it; Annie who is terrified, keeps quite. Paul hates his father so much that he actually wishes death upon him for all the atrocious acts he carried out on his mother. The family affairs were completely kept from Walter because they did not see him fit for knowing about them, seeing as he was gambling and drunk all the time. In this chapter, Mrs. Moral did not think that Paul would live a long life because he had bronchitis; when he was sick, he was often found in bed with his mother.

            Even when William leaves for Nottingham and Mrs. Morel turns all her attention on Paul, the two brother become jealous of each other; yet they still remain close. Although it is a nerve wrecking ordeal to collect his father’s paycheck, Paul goes through with it because of the satisfaction of having his mother comfort him when he gets home. William comes to visit the family for five days in December and he bring gifts for everyone, but the cheerful mood quickly takes a three-sixty when he had to leave.

Chapter 5:

After a work accident throws Walter in the hospital, the family is without his presence for a while due to his fracture. They are at peace for a while until he recovers. Now fourteen, Paul is at the age for labour but he turns his attention toward more artistic means instead of mining. To his dismay, his mother asks him to search for a job in the newspaper. Meanwhile, William excels in both his social and private life; learning Latin and eventually becoming wrapped up in a girl. Paul brings along his mother as he is asked to attend an interview with Thomas Jordan, the owner of a surgical appliance factory. Although he becomes nervous, he gets the job; after which, he and his mother go out for dinner and shopping then return home. William sends a picture of Louisa Lily Denys Western but his mother doesn’t like her dress so he sends different one. After Paul starts working, his mother becomes extremely proud of him, but works, under Mr. Pappleworth’s supervision, in the dark second floor warehouse. He eventually befriends the workers at the factory. Every night he gives his mother his earnings and tells her of his day.

Chapter 6:

In this chapter we learn that Arthur grows into an impulsive, selfish, athletic, attractive boy and he slowly begins to hate his father who is always fighting with them. Annie becomes a junior teacher and soon after, she is expected to get a raise. Paul and his mother become attached to each other more than ever, meanwhile, William becomes engaged to Louisa; he even brings her home for Christmas to which she begins to act like a pampered princess. But she has been a secretary for the last year. Paul gets a raise at work so he and his mother go on a trip to a farm, to which Paul meets Miriam and the other siblings. When they are leaving, Mrs. Morel expresses that she would run the farm better if she was the owner. William comes to visit the family and Paul spends some time with them but, Louisa annoyed the whole family to the point where William confided in his mother; after she suggested that he may want to break the engagement, the mother and son have a fight. After William head back home, he visits once more and then shows his mother a rash that was believed to be made by the collar; after Mrs. Morel sends him off, she gets a telegram saying that William fell ill. She rushes to him only to find him in a retard state. He is diagnosed with pneumonia and a skin disease.

After William’s death, Mrs. Morel becomes distant to everyone, including Paul.  Paul then becomes ill and she takes care of him which cause her to cease her mourning. Mr. Morel feeling mournful, avoids the cemetery on his way to work.