Sons and Lovers was written with Lawrence almost defining the Oedipus complex through Paul. With this in mind, Kuttner gives this insight about the novel: Sons and Lovers possesses this double quality to a high degree. It ranks high, very high as a piece of literature and at the same time embodies a theory which it illustrates and exemplifies with a completeness that is nothing less than astonishing (277). Psychologists of today still accept the Oedipus complex as a viable explanation for the love and fascination that male children display towards their mothers. Lawrence successfully created an educational novel as well as an easily readable and interesting novel. Literary critics tend to speculate that Sons and Lovers was written by Lawrence as somewhat of an autobiography centering Pauls life around his own. Whether or not this is true will never be determined, though it will continue to remain a favorite topic for critical analysis for years to come....
