The Horse Dealer's Daughter

Chapter 8

Some other themes in The Horse dealer's daughter are doubt, reliance, connection, desperation, escape and Death.

Some Major Themes in The Horse Dealer's Daugter

One major theme in this story is that of female oppression. Mabel Pervin, a young rural working-class woman, appears isolated in the midst of her own family. She has kept house for her three brothers for many years, but they seem to have scant regard for her, while she, in turn, has become indifferent to them.

• "Horse Dealer's Daughter"
• “Short, sullen-looking young woman of twenty-seven”
• “…so long as there was money, the girl felt herself established, and brutally proud, reserved.”
• Strong-willed and stubborn
• Refuses to accept the loss of her home, which had practically become her whole life
• “Now, for Mabel, the end had come. Still…she would always hold the keys to her own situation.”
• Terrified of the unknown and unfamiliar

Mabel Pervin

Idea or Theme

The word Idea refers to the result or results of general and abstract thinking. In literary study the consideration of ideas relates to meaning, interpretation, explanation, and significance.

Most stories conquer many ideas.

When an idea of the story seems to be the major one, which recurs throughout the work, it is called a theme.

In practice, the words theme and major idea are the same

• Round, Dynamic Character
• Protagonist
• Revealed through Direct Characterization

Ma Favorite!

• Set in England in the 1920s,
• a horse ranch owned by a formerly wealthy man, Joseph Pervin.

Occasion

The purpose of this story was to show how women were oppressed, not just in the society but also in thier family.

How love can save someone's life and change their point of view on life

Purpose

Joe Pervin - Eldest son, a static character, he is to marry a girl and her father will provide a job for him (hopefully), orders Mabel to go to sister's house

Fred Henry- a static character, keeps a reasonable composure about him, also orders Mabel to decide something or just go to her sister's house

Malcolm- The youngest son, also a static character, rather gives a suggestion to Mabel about what she should do.

Common Factor- They all get irritated with Mabel because she's NO RESPONSE type, they all oppress her and try to act like they rule her life.

Speaker

• Narrator is Third-Person
• There are Three Parts
• Beginning-focuses on all characters
• Then its only focuses on Mabel's Perspective
• The third part focuses on Fergusson's Perspective and his thoughts

Audience

People who like reading romantic short stories.

Feminists

Those who tried to commit suicide but survived.

People who's life changed because of love (a new life or just another depression ).

SOAP Stone

• The tone of the story is ironic. It is ironic that she finally found purpose in her life. It is sad and depressing that it will probably not work out and she will still be left with a life just like the first lines of the story, “Well, Mabel, and what are you going to do with yourself?”
• Sad and a little depressing

Subject

• Hopelessness
• Desperation
• Opression
• Rebirth (new Life)
• Iro

Characterization

Symbols

There are essentially two main characters in "The Horse Dealer's Daughter", Mabel Pervin, and Dr. Jack Fergusson.

Jack Furgusson

Churchyard/Mother's grave- The grave represents the dead soul that Mabel has at that time. It also is a place of connection b/t Mabel and her mother. That is why she is comfortable and immune in that churchyard. Since she is already spiritually dead, she is able to "communicate" and feel the same way as the dull and silent graveyard.

Pond- It symbolizes both death and love. It is cold, dark, and deep. It smells of clay and rot. It is dangerous. Mabel uses the pond to end her life and reunite with her mother. The doctor rescues Mabel but at peril to his own life for he goes under as well.

• Town Doctor
• “…a young man entered. He was muffled up in an overcoat and a purple woolen scarf, and his tweed cap…was pulled down on his head. He was of medium height, his face was rather long and pale, his eyes looked tired.”
• He has a cold
• Saves Mabel from her suicide attempt
• Falls madly in love with her and promises to marry her

• Round, Dynamic Character

•Protagonist/Hero

• Revealed through direct and indirect characterization

Pond as symbol for love can also be new life for Mabel and the Doctor. Both the Doctor and Mabel find new life in loving one another. They have both been leading a repressed existence; Ferguson until now has had to suppress his natural instincts and emotions, while Mabel, as already discussed, has had no place of her own in the world.

The pond joins together these two ideas. If the pond is death and the pond is also love then love is in a way a kind of death. The two are intertwined in many ways. Mabel wants death for herself as a way to get back to the love of her mother. The doctor experiences a kind of horror as he struggles against his feelings for Mabel. The loss of control brings to mind death.

Theme

Horses- Joe stands in "horsey fashion," Fred Henry is an "animal which controls," and Malcolm has a "jauntymuseau."

In fact, the entire family has an "animal pride." Lawrence describes the brothers in terms of horses apparently to emphasize the importance of the horses in their lives; once the horses are gone, life as they know it will be over.

The short story "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" by David H. Lawrence is about Love, that how it brings hope in one's life or make it worse.

Plot Diagram

Plot/Structure

Exposition

The horse dealer’s daughter is Mabel Pervin, one of five children. She is apathetic and depressed, and does not respond when her brothers speak to her. Her family has lost all of their money after their father died, leaving Mabel with nowhere to go unless she goes to live with her sister.

Climax

Jack witnesses Mabel walking into the pond, apparently trying to end her life. He jumps in to rescue her and pulls her out, though she is cold and unconscious. He is able to resuscitate her.

Jack brings Mabel back to her house and changes her clothes. Mabel questions him on his motives for saving her. Mabel states that the only reason for him saving her is that he loves her. Jack hesitantly admits that he does, and kisses her.

Resolution

Jack and Mabel agree to marry, though neither is sure if true love is actually present, or if the relationship is simply the result of spontaneous feelings of passion.

Falling action

Mabel is in the cemetery caring for her mother’s grave, which is an activity that always brings her peace of mind. Jack Ferguson, a doctor and friend of Mabel’s brother Fred, sees her doing this. Later, Jack sees her walking by a pond.

Rising Action

Blah Blah Blah

Shut Up..

Here's a Picture of him in case you've Never seen him

Who Was David H.Lawrance?

David Herbert Lawrence

Born on September 11, 1884

Short story writer, poet, and essayist of the 1900s ­

Often wrote about sex and primitive desire ­controversial among peers

His imagery was indicative of his interest in poetry

Grew up in a mining community

Died at 45 from tuberculosis

The Horse Dealer's Daughter

by Dr. H. Lawrance