A Psychological Analysis of Paul in Sons and Lovers

英语2101张媛媛

As a reflection of D. H. Lawrence, Paul's whole growth process is a manifestation of Lawrence's family life. Throughout the novel, Paul and his siblings are on the same side as their mother to the exclusion of their father, Walter. His father works as a miner at the lowest class, and his excessive drinking, violence and vulgar speech fail to establish an image of father in Paul's mind. All of these invisibly become the psychological incentive for the abnormal relationship between Paul and his mother. When Walter died in a work accident, Paul did not feel sad, but hailed himself as the head of the family, which is a mirror of Freud's Oedipus complex. Paul's efforts to improve his painting skills are also in order to win praise from his mother. When Paul goes out, he always brings beautiful flowers to his mother, and her mother also accepts Paul's gifts with pleasure like a lover. Paul's attachment to his mother can also be seen in his Platonic love affair with his girlfriend Miriam. His mother's dislike of Miriam baffles him, but Paul then thinks that if Miriam makes his mother unhappy, he will hate her. This distorted emotion between mother and son is deeply rooted in Paul's heart. The final breakdown of Paul's psychological defense comes when his mother died. He kissed his mother's dead body, affectionately calling out "My love". After the death of his mother, Paul lives like a zombie, signaling the tragic end of a freak love affair.