February Classics Challenge

This month, the prompt for those participating in the 2012 Classics Challenge, is to write about a character you find interesting.
   I read Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence, which was one of the classics I'd chosen. The obvious character for me to focus on for this prompt is Paul Morel, who is the son that Mrs Morel holds most hope for, and is who Lawrence explores his own relationship through with his mother.

Lawrence introduces Paul during his mother's pregnancy. His mother is struggling in his relationship with a drunk husband, and she is struggling to raise her other children in poverty. She is upset to be pregnant again. When Paul is born, he is introduced as an intense baby with a deep frown and brooding silences. Mrs Morel feels very guilty that her regret during the pregnancy has been felt by the baby, and she thinks the baby is either depressed or already carries the worries of the household on him.
   He becomes an intense child, who is shy and insecure. His hate is sudden and fierce, when he feels like someone is making fun of him. There was also a disturbing scene were he burns his sister's doll, because he dropped the doll and broke it.

   Luckily he grows out of this, and becomes a gentle artistic type, although always moody and tending to have a lot of self-doubt. I imagine him to be a slim, delicate, good-looking man - like the model-types today. His brothers were more masculine, big-boned, lots of muscle, and well over 6 feet tall.
   It is his relationship with his mother, and a couple of lovers that he has, that is the focus of the book. He can never love a woman as deeply as his mother. Women 'can't hold him'. He gets deeply passionate, and then it fades and he gets restless and moves on.
   Whilst it is lovely that he loves his mother so much, I blame his mother for making him feel this way, and wrecking him for any other woman. He will end up alone, because no woman can match his mother.
   Paul Morel is an extremely well developed character, and very believable. He is vivid and palpable, but also dissatisfying.