Sons and Lovers Lesson Plan

At the center of Paul's tangled relationship with Miriam is the idea of a "spiritual connection." What does this phrase mean? Why does Miriam want this connection? Why does Paul reject it?

Throughout the first half of the novel, Paul struggled with guilt over his physical desires, trying to reject them in favor of intellectual connection. But by the time we get to Chapter X, Paul has accepted that he wants a physical relationship and rationalizes Miriam's attraction as only spiritual -- emotional, but without a physical connection. For Miriam, a spiritual connection allows her to be with Paul without sacrificing her religious beliefs, which are important to her.

The...