The Lost Girl by D.H. Lawrence

The Lost Girl by D.H. Lawrence was published in 1920. This novel is a remarkable exploration of individual desire and societal expectations, focusing on the protagonist’s struggle to break free from the constraints of her upbringing and environment. Set in the backdrop of post-industrial England, it captures the emotional turbulence of early 20th-century society, blending elements of realism and Lawrence’s psychological insight.

Plot Summary

In the Midlands of England, the small industrial town of Woodhouse rests in a fading, rigid social order. Among its inhabitants is the Houghton family, led by James Houghton, a once-optimistic businessman who now battles the slow decay of his fortunes. His grand dreams of running a successful business fade year by year, as his grandiose schemes inevitably collapse. His wife, Clariss, frail and riddled with nervous ailments, becomes increasingly withdrawn from the world. Amidst this declining household is their only daughter, Alvina, a delicate and introspective girl, raised under the weight of her father’s failures and her mother’s illness. Her world is dominated by the oppressive atmosphere of Manchester House, the family’s home, and by the watchful presence of her governess, Miss Frost.

As Alvina grows into a young woman, she feels the stifling weight of her surroundings and longs for escape. Her relationship with Miss Frost is complex—a mixture of love and suffocation. Miss Frost, though protective and well-meaning, imposes on Alvina a rigid sense of propriety, shaping her into the demure young lady society expects. Yet, beneath Alvina’s quiet demeanor, there stirs an ironic, sardonic spark, something that even she herself doesn’t fully understand. She dreams of breaking free from the heavy constraints of Woodhouse, but her prospects seem dim.

Her father’s fortunes worsen as his business ventures continue to fail. His once-proud shop, filled with exotic fabrics and elaborate goods, gradually withers away, becoming a sad reminder of past glories. The shop’s Friday evening sales, where remnants of the once-luxurious stock are sold for paltry sums, draw the curiosity and laughter of the townspeople. James Houghton’s once-vibrant dreams have been reduced to this. His daughter, meanwhile, stands on the cusp of adulthood, feeling trapped within the same dreary cycles of failure and disappointment.

At twenty-three, Alvina becomes engaged to Alexander Graham, a doctor from Australia, hoping that this engagement will provide the escape she craves. Alexander, dark and passionate, ignites in Alvina a strange mixture of attraction and repulsion. He offers her a way out of Woodhouse, a chance to leave behind her father’s decaying world. Yet, Alvina’s feelings are conflicted. There is something about Alexander—something unsettling and unfamiliar. While his love is intense, it leaves her feeling oddly hollow, unsure of her desires. She toys with the idea of marrying him and sailing to Australia, but a deep sense of ambivalence gnaws at her.

As the departure date nears, Alvina feels the pressure from Miss Frost and her mother, both of whom view Alexander with suspicion. Miss Frost, in particular, cannot bear the thought of Alvina marrying a man she sees as beneath her. Alvina hesitates, trapped between her longing for freedom and the pull of her familiar world. In the end, she breaks off the engagement, sending Alexander’s ring and letters back to him. While her family rejoices, relieved that she has been spared from an uncertain future, Alvina is left feeling unmoored. She has escaped one prison, only to find herself back in the confines of Woodhouse.

With her engagement behind her, Alvina struggles to find purpose in her life. She dabbles in piano lessons, teaching a few students, but the work leaves her feeling empty. Her dissatisfaction grows, and she becomes increasingly restless, craving something more than the small-town life she has always known. Then, the traveling “Natcha-Kee-Tawara” theatrical troupe comes to town, offering a glimpse into a world of freedom and adventure. Among the performers is Ciccio, an Italian acrobat and musician, whose wild, sensual energy draws Alvina to him. Ciccio represents everything that Alvina has been denied—passion, excitement, and the promise of an untethered life.

Alvina becomes involved with the troupe, and her relationship with Ciccio deepens. For the first time in her life, she experiences a kind of freedom, breaking away from the suffocating norms of Woodhouse. Ciccio’s earthy vitality contrasts sharply with the sterile, controlled environment she has known, and she is drawn to his raw, untamed nature. He introduces her to a world where the rules of society seem not to matter, where her desires can be indulged without judgment.

Despite the allure of this new life, Alvina remains conflicted. The bond with Ciccio pulls her further away from the safety of her upbringing, yet she cannot fully sever the ties that bind her to her past. Her relationship with Ciccio becomes an embodiment of the tension within her—the desire for freedom and the fear of losing herself completely in that pursuit. As she joins the troupe and travels with them, she begins to experience the disconnection from her former life, but the journey is not without its hardships.

Alvina’s struggle is not only with society’s expectations but also with the inner conflict of understanding what she truly wants. Her longing for personal freedom battles against the ingrained values of respectability and order. The further she moves into Ciccio’s world, the more she questions her place in it. Ultimately, Alvina is left suspended between two worlds—the safe but stifling life of Woodhouse and the liberating yet precarious existence she has found with Ciccio.

Alvina’s journey is one of self-discovery, but the ending is ambiguous. Whether she will find true happiness and fulfillment remains uncertain, for the freedom she seeks is both thrilling and fraught with danger. The passion she has awakened in herself threatens to consume her, and the future remains unclear as she navigates the choices between her old life and the untamed path she now follows.

Main Characters

• Alvina Houghton: The central character of the novel, Alvina is a young woman suffocated by her small-town life and her father’s overbearing influence. Throughout the novel, she yearns for freedom and self-fulfillment, her journey reflecting her inner conflict between duty and desire.

• James Houghton: Alvina’s father, a failed businessman, James’s life is a sequence of delusions of grandeur that never come to fruition. His decline, both financially and socially, weighs heavily on Alvina, and his inability to connect emotionally with her contributes to her sense of alienation.

• Miss Frost: Alvina’s governess and surrogate mother figure, Miss Frost is a stabilizing yet controlling presence in her life. She represents the societal pressures of decorum and propriety, and her relationship with Alvina is tinged with love, but also with the expectation of conformity.

• Alexander Graham: Alvina’s fiancé, he is an Australian doctor with whom Alvina becomes engaged, though her feelings for him are ambiguous. He symbolizes a potential escape for her, but also the risk of repeating the same pattern of emotional repression.

• Ciccio: An Italian performer whom Alvina falls for later in the novel. His earthy sensuality and freedom from the strictures of English society represent an alternative life for Alvina, pulling her into a world of passion and unpredictability.

Theme

• Search for Identity and Freedom: Alvina’s journey is essentially one of self-discovery. She struggles to define herself beyond the roles imposed by her family and society, seeking personal freedom through relationships and geographical movement.

• Sexual Liberation vs. Repression: Lawrence’s exploration of sexuality is evident in Alvina’s relationships. Her engagement with Alexander is marked by a coldness, while her later attraction to Ciccio signifies a break from societal norms and a move towards sexual liberation.

• The Decline of the Industrial Class: Through James Houghton’s failed business ventures, the novel paints a picture of the collapse of the middle class in industrial England. His decline mirrors the broader theme of societal change and decay.

• Female Independence: Alvina’s character embodies the struggle for female independence in a time when women were expected to conform to specific roles. Her journey challenges the conventions of marriage, societal expectations, and personal autonomy.

• Class and Social Mobility: Lawrence contrasts the static, suffocating environment of Alvina’s small town with the fluid, more liberating world of the traveling performers. This difference highlights the tension between social classes and the yearning for a life beyond societal constraints.

Writing Style and Tone

D.H. Lawrence’s style in The Lost Girl is deeply introspective, often delving into the emotional and psychological complexities of his characters. He uses rich, descriptive language to evoke the suffocating atmosphere of Alvina’s upbringing and contrasts it with the vibrant, passionate world she encounters later. The tone is one of melancholy and frustration, particularly in the early parts of the novel, as Lawrence critiques the rigid social structures that limit personal growth.

In the latter sections of the novel, as Alvina explores her desires more fully, Lawrence’s tone shifts to one of sensuality and liberation. His exploration of sexuality is raw and direct, which was characteristic of his writing, pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable in his time. The narrative voice often takes on a moral ambiguity, reflecting Lawrence’s own complex views on society, relationships, and the human condition.