Tone of Sons and Lovers

2102秦娟

Sons and Lovers adopts a sympathetic tone. Even when a character has negative qualities, Lawrence uses particular language that allows us to feel pity for that character. In this way, we are reminded of the humanity in every one of us. Lawrence wants us as readers to understand the psychological motivation behind people's emotions and actions.

She no longer loved her husband; she had not wanted this child to come, and there it lay in her arms and pulled at her heart. She felt as if the navel string that had connected its frail little body with hers had not been broken. A wave of hot love went over her to the infant." (Chapter 2)
In this passage, Gertrude Morel deals with a moral dilemma. Her husband Walter is an alcoholic and is abusive towards her and her eldest son. By revealing that Gertrude did not want this child, we get a glimpse into the effects of the lack of love from her husband.

As readers we feel sorry for her. However, then we see that Gertrude can redirect that love that she is unable to give to her husband or get from him to her newly born son. It is a psychologically complex passage, but it reveals the underlying emotion felt by Gertrude at that moment.