Explain the elements of realism in ‘The Horse Dealers’.

Lawrence was controversial in his time for exploring the interior nature of prevailing gender roles; however, time has shown that he was no resounding champion of women. Even in this story, we can see him struggling between the notion that Mabel deserves better treatment by the men in her family, and the instinct to solve all of her problems by ultimately hitching to a man and giving in to feelings of passion and love. But the exploration of gender in this story goes beyond the conclusion—in fact, the theme is introduced early on with Lawrence's description of the Pervins' parents. Mabel's mother was a source of warth and stability, and even after she dies, Mabel takes comfort in scrubbing her headstone. The fact that this task of cleaning is relagated to Mabel (and that it would never even occur to her brothers) is telling. And though their father ultimately leaves them to live with his second wife, Mabel never blames him for it because he provided for them for so long.