Essays on Sons and Lovers

The novel is set in the English Midlands in the early 1900s and tells the story of the Morel family. The father, Walter, is a coal miner who is often away from home working, while the mother, Gertrude, is a stay-at-home mom. The couple have four children: Paul, William, Annie, and Arthur.
Paul, the eldest, is the protagonist of the novel. He is a sensitive and introspective young man who is torn between his love for his mother and his desire to forge his own path in life. William, the second son, is a tough and rugged individual who is more like his father. Annie, the eldest daughter, is a tomboyish girl who is also close to her father. Arthur, the youngest child, is a sickly boy who dies at a young age.
The novel chronicles Paul’s coming of age, as he struggles to find his place in the world and to come to terms with his relationships with his family.