A Remarkable Book

This book follows three generations of the Brangwean family. Each generation struggles to find the meaning of love and life in their lives.
His writing is beautiful:
"It was midsummer, the days were glamorously long." I never thought a simple sentence could convey a sense of adventure and also of luxury at the same time.

My favorite chapter was "A Man's World". In this chapter, Ursula becomes a teacher after completing high school. (Only to avoid the expectation of marriage). She is a fifth grade teacher with a class of 55 students. She faces the daily challenge of engaging unruly students:

"Children will never naturally acquiesce to sitting in a class and submitting to knowledge. They must be compelled by a stronger wiser will. Against which will they must always strive to revolt.... Ursula thought she was going to become the first wise teacher by making the whole business personal, and using no compulsion. She believed entirely in her own personality."

Unfortunately, she abandons her efforts to using her personality to convince the students to complete their writing and sums. Eventually she resorts to "thrashing" a young boy in front of the class. She then has to deal with the wrath of the parent and her headmaster.

Lawrence was a teacher in a primary school for several years. I wonder how much of this chapter came from his own experience! Throughout the book, I marveled that, writing over 100 years ago, Lawrence was able to convey the inner lives of men and women in a way that still resonates today. ( )

Imagine a world in which everyone you knew was manic depressive. It'd be interesting at times, but for the most part, pretty depressing. Well just about every character in this novel was manic depressive. High as a kite one moment, and down in the dumps the next, making for a book that was interesting at times, but overall just plain depressing. ( )

2½ stars for the audiobook edition narrated by Paul Slack.

I didn't care for this book but if you like D.H. Lawrence, you probably would like this. His writing style & main themes irritate me so my main feeling on finishing this is relief that I am done. The characters don't seem like any people I have ever met & Lawrence has some strange ideas about sex & women...

For me, the most interesting parts were when Ursula Brangwen is working as a school teacher (without any kind of training!). Having taught myself, I was amused that some things apparently never change, such as the principal/headmaster's fear of pushy &/or complaining parents. Other aspects have clearly changed for the better - no more canings! ( )

4/26/22

I took a full semester on D.H. Lawrence and read ALL of his works. The stack of books was taller than me. Luckily, this was the only class I took! The Rainbow is my favorite out of all his works, although I'm at a point in my life where I think I will revisiting the last tales he wrote while living in the Southwest and painting. ( )