Sons and Lovers book club questions

The reading plan

Meeting 1: Chapters 1 to 6

1. What would it take to rebuild trust after the discoveries Mrs. Morel makes about her marriage?
2. How might memories of courtship change the way Mrs. Morel understands her loneliness?
3. How do you judge the mother's growing devotion to her children as the parents move further apart?
4. Why might William's progress bring his mother pain as well as pride?
5. What do Paul's shared burdens with his mother suggest about the place of children in family conflict?

Meeting 2: Chapters 7 to 10

6. What might make teaching a source of attraction, fear, and anger between Paul and Miriam?
7. How much can shared interests help Paul and Miriam understand each other when learning also brings tension?
8. How should Paul weigh loyalty to his mother against his attachment to Miriam?
9. What does his mother's delight in Paul's artistic prizes suggest about the place of ambition in their relationship?
10. How do you judge Miriam's resistance when Paul tries to limit their attachment?

Meeting 3: Chapters 11 to 15

11. What does the failure of physical intimacy to resolve Paul and Miriam's divided attachment suggest about what their relationship needs?
12. How do you judge Paul's choice to end his bond with Miriam rather than continue their divided attachment?
13. How do guilt and conflict with his mother shape your reading of Paul's intimacy with Clara?
14. How might public exposure change the pressures on Paul and Clara's relationship?
15. How do you judge Clara's hope of turning physical closeness into lasting commitment?

Themes to talk about

Tips for the host

1. Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
2. Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.