Paul’s strange attraction to Baxter Dawe

Baxter Dawes is a broken man: sick, poor, abandoned by his wife, jobless, and accepting charity even from Paul, his adversary. Yet, Paul regularly visits the sick man and later invites Clara along to spend a day at a cottage with Baxter and himself. Can we understand Paul's behaviour?

Paul’s relationship with Miriam is a failure, ostensibly through sexual incompatibility, but more likely through Paul’s reluctance to commit wholeheartedly to a woman other than his mother. The novel is cryptic regarding the failure of Baxter’s relationship with Clara. Both Paul and Clara seem unable to sustain an intimate relationship. The parallels are intriguing. Just as Paul behaves harshly and unfairly to Miriam, Clara has good reason to be ashamed of her behaviour towards Baxter, who seems as fully committed and faithful to Clara as Miriam is to Paul. Suffering an indefinable angst, Clara rejects Baxter as Paul does Miriam.

I suspect Paul is attracted to Baxter, like a moth to flame, owing to the perspective that Paul gains on his teetering relationship with Miriam. Paul pities and is fascinated by Baxter, whose predicament has much in common with Miriam’s. In finding resolution (if only temporary) for Baxter’s marriage, Paul happily unloads Clara but, sadly, sheds little light on his own troubled relationships...particularly that with his departed mother.

Paul leaves us with a note of sour optimism.

I always saw Paul fascination with Baxter more as Paul seeing his future self. He had invested so much of himself into his relationship with his mother - he basically sacrificed his ability to have a meaningful relationship with a women in his generation. While performing this sacrifice he all the while knew it was detrimental to himself. He even mentions not wanting to ever marry, and just wanting to have a house with his mother. He sees in Baxter what this could lead to - being miserable, alone and full of regret once his mother is gone.

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Originally Posted by jepheroo

I always saw Paul's fascination with Baxter more as Paul seeing his future self ... He sees in Baxter what this could lead to - being miserable, alone and full of regret once his mother is gone.

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Except that Baxter is married to Clara, and ends up reunited, whereas Paul's relationship to his mother is socially and morally more questionable. Besides, Mrs Gertrude Morel is dying.

Baxter and Paul have so little in common, but Baxter and Miriam do.

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Originally Posted by Gladys

Baxter Dawes is a broken man: sick, poor, abandoned by his wife, jobless, and accepting charity even from Paul, his adversary. Yet, Paul regularly visits the sick man and later invites Clara along to spend a day at a cottage with Baxter and himself. Can we understand Paul's behaviour?

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That is a good question. I'm not sure the novel really answers why. At least I don't remember. Lawrence has at times sets up a male to male bond that is hard to decipher. Sometimes it feels like he's suggesting homosexuality. There is usually some sub conscious relationship that is going on. In the case of Baxter Dawes, I think because he's a very rough blue collar man he reflects Paul's father, and his relationship with Baxter (he fights with him and makes love to his wife, which could stand in for his mother) furthers the theme of Paul's development as being a struggle to free himself from his parent's psychological pressure. Not sure if that made sense but I hope you know what I mean.

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Paul’s relationship with Miriam is a failure, ostensibly through sexual incompatibility, but more likely through Paul’s reluctance to commit wholeheartedly to a woman other than his mother.

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That's probably about right, though I think Lawrence puts the blame mostly on Miriam.

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The novel is cryptic regarding the failure of Baxter’s relationship with Clara. Both Paul and Clara seem unable to sustain an intimate relationship. The parallels are intriguing. Just as Paul behaves harshly and unfairly to Miriam, Clara has good reason to be ashamed of her behaviour towards Baxter, who seems as fully committed and faithful to Clara as Miriam is to Paul. Suffering an indefinable angst, Clara rejects Baxter as Paul does Miriam.

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Clara and Miriam are two opposing types that Paul ultimately rejects: the sacrificing female who lives for others and the aggresive female who is all consuming.

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I suspect Paul is attracted to Baxter, like a moth to flame, owing to the perspective that Paul gains on his teetering relationship with Miriam. Paul pities and is fascinated by Baxter, whose predicament has much in common with Miriam’s. In finding resolution (if only temporary) for Baxter’s marriage, Paul happily unloads Clara but, sadly, sheds little light on his own troubled relationships...particularly that with his departed mother.

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It'a all a fascinating web of sub conscious interplay between all the characters and Paul, who is forming his identity.

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Paul leaves us with a note of sour optimism.

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He is disconcerted psychologically by the events and conflicts and drama of growing up. At the end he is left alone in a vague and complex world unable to understand.

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Originally Posted by jepheroo

I always saw Paul fascination with Baxter more as Paul seeing his future self. He had invested so much of himself into his relationship with his mother - he basically sacrificed his ability to have a meaningful relationship with a women in his generation. While performing this sacrifice he all the while knew it was detrimental to himself. He even mentions not wanting to ever marry, and just wanting to have a house with his mother. He sees in Baxter what this could lead to - being miserable, alone and full of regret once his mother is gone.

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No I don't think Paul ever will have the option of being the rugged blue collar type of Baxter or his father. Paul is a physically weak person, emotional and sensitive.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

In the case of Baxter Dawes, I think because he's a very rough blue collar man he reflects Paul's father, and his relationship with Baxter (he fights with him and makes love to his wife, which could stand in for his mother) furthers the theme of Paul's development as being a struggle to free himself from his parent's psychological pressure.

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I had missed the important similarities between Baxter Dawes and Mr Morel. Paul has good reason to regret his attitude to his father, and perhaps, Paul's unlikely friendship with Baxter probes this almost shameful past.

Moreover, Clara and Mrs Morel have much in common. They are friends; they are aggressive females who are all consuming; and they denigrate sincere husbands.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

That's probably about right, though I think Lawrence puts the blame mostly on Miriam.

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So true. Yet Paul (aka Lawrence) is less than likeable, whereas Miriam is an angel. A humble Lawrence paints his own character without the varnish.

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Originally Posted by Gladys

I had missed the important similarities between Baxter Dawes and Mr Morel. Paul has good reason to regret his attitude to his father, and perhaps, Paul's unlikely friendship with Baxter probes this almost shameful past.

Moreover, Clara and Mrs Morel have much in common. They are friends; they are aggressive females who are all consuming; and they denigrate sincere husbands.

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Oh , glad we agree. :)

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So true. Yet Paul (aka Lawrence) is less than likeable, whereas Miriam is an angel. A humble Lawrence paints his own character without the varnish.

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I personally agree with you, though I don't think it's what Lawrence wants us to take away. Miriam is a nice girl, sacrificing, and smart and maybe everything most would like in a girl. But Lawrence I think hates the "angel" part of Miriam's personality. You do realize Miriam was modeled on his girl friend from his youth, Jesse Chambers.

I quite liked Miriam; I felt sorry for her. Clara was a bit dull.