D H Lawrences The Horse Dealers Daughter and The Blind Man
Issues of power and rebirth are at the heart of D. H. Lawrence's shortstories, "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" and "The Blind Man." The themes ofthese stories present characters that undergo a transformation through theprocess of touching another individual. Lawrence's attention to detailemphasizes how each character experiences a dramatic change. This paperwill examine how each character exists in a dark world and through theexperience of touching another human being, their lives are changed Lawrence uses dark images to convey the world in "The Horse Dealer'sDaughter." Lawrence uses dismal and depressing images to describe Mabel'ssurroundings. For example, the family has fallen into "debt andthreatening" (The Horse Dealer's Daughter 126). The family never receivedany company and Mabel had no female friends. We are also told that she"lived in the memory of her mother" (126). For example, we are told thather father and brothers "talked at her and round her for so many years,that she hardly heard them at all" (123). Mabel is also depicted withnegative images. For instance, she sits "immutable" (123) "like onecondemned" (123) at the kitchen table when he brother speaks to her
Bysome fatal flaw, he could not be by himself, he had to depend on thesupport of another. And this very dependence enraged him" (115). Even cleaning her mother's grave gave her more satisfaction thenanything else. When Mabel regains consciousness, she is transformed because sheinterprets Fergusson's act as one of love. In this scene it is as if Maurice and Bertieexchange places as a result of touch. We can also see how Maurice's world is almost the bestthat it can be but his blindness proves to be an obstacle that cannot beovercome. However, moments later, he experiences desire and he is drawn to Mabel. Lawrence reinforces the power of touch by focusing on the dreadfuldetails of Mabel and Maurice's lives. Maurice's world is upset by the presence of Bertie Reid. His world was relatively pleasant but hisinability to deal with his blindness caused tension between him andeveryone he encountered. Touching another human being leadsthem to experience a rebirth, which opens their eyes to a side of life theyhave been missing. In conclusion, Lawrence emphasizes the transformation of Mabel andMaurice through powerful scenes that involve the simple act of human touch. After Fergusson saves her, Mabel's worldwas filled with passion and charged emotion. Occasionally, Maurice experienced fits of depression,which are described as a "black misery, when his own life was a torture tohim" (The Blind Man 108). Dramatic events suddenly transform each protagonist.
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