BOOK REVIEW – D H LAWRENCE – THE BLUE MOCCASSINS
Various editions
The story of a relationship collapsing as a man abandons his ageing lover for a younger, more attractive woman – a staple of many a story, but told here with both humour and sorrow.
Lina M’Leod is a very modern thinking, rather Bohemian lady who spends much of her youth adventuring and travelling, but never settling into a relationship with a man (there are underlying hints of lesbian tendencies but this is never overtly spelt out).
In her middle age, she finally settles down into a seemingly stable relationship with a man, Percy, who seems to adore her, but he seems also shy and reserved.
Lina presents Percy with a pair of Native American Moccasins, from her early adventures, and though they are too small for him to wear (being made for a woman’s feet), He keeps them in his room.
As Lina ages, and her hair turns white, Percy takes to acting, and gains a good reputation. Lina gives little thought to the shoes until her work (as an artist) calls on her to paint a still life featuring something that matches their shade of blue, and then she finds that her husband has lost them, which he flatly denies.
Soon afterwards, Lina makes an unexpected visit to the theatre to watch one of his shows, to find that there is a very romantic chemistry between Percy and his leading lady – worse, the actress has been using the moccasins as a prop in the show. Lina calmly interrupts the performance to ask for the shoes back, leaving the couple in a struggle for continuity in the remaining show, and Percy decides to stay with the actress as his wife is behaving so oddly – he fails to see any reason why his behaviour is upsetting her and the married couple split up irrecoverably and quickly.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
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