In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,” symbols are used to fulfill the quest of
happiness and love. This love story, written by D.H. Lawrence, has many symbols,
which show hidden meaning. One can fully understand a story, if one can point
out certain symbols. Symbols create ideas and images for the reader to better
understand the story. Mabel, one of the two main characters in this story, is
depressed and suicidal. After her mother died, she feels like there is nothing
to live for. Her mother was the love and joy in her life; without her, she is
lost. All she has left is her house, which she is extremely proud of, and her
brother, which she seems not to care for. She decides to release herself from
her troubles by drowning herself in a pond. The other main character, Dr.
Fergusson, sees her and tries to save her life. This pond is a strong symbol
with many meanings. It is a start of a new experience, and a change of two
people’s lives. The pond is described as dead and cold. This symbolizes that
Dr. Fergusson had no feelings for Mabel before the incident. The narrator
describes the pond as lifeless right before the doctor had entered it. Before
going in, the relationship between them was dead and cold, and they had no
passionate feelings for one another. Dr. Fergusson tries to rescue Mabel for no
other reason but because he was doing his job. The pond also describes Dr.
Fergusson’s life as dull and pointless. His life was still and silent before
he had met her. He was afraid to go in too deep into the pond, and was afraid of
drowning. This represents his fear of falling in love. He was scared of the
water because he could not swim, and also because he was scared of love. He
never experienced it, so it frightened him. When he finally falls in, he felt
Mabel’s clothing and pulled her up. This means that when he fell into the
pond, he found love. It was like fate had pushed him into the water to meet the
woman he was meant to be with, for the rest of his life. He found love in a dead
and cold pond, which means sometimes one has to look at even the unimaginable
places to find happiness. In a dead place such as the pond, you can find
something that is alive such as love. This pond symbolizes the start of their
love for each other, since they fall madly in love afterwards. The water
symbolizes baptism and rebirth, and when she steps into it, her troubles are
washed away. It represents cleanliness and the start of new life. Her life
before felt meaningless to her, and she wanted to get out of it. She had nobody
to love and care for her, after her mother had died. She never tries anything
new and when she finally does, something amazing happens to her. Dr.
Fergusson’s life was just as pointless as hers was. He had a good job working
with many kinds of people, but he did not enjoy his life. He had no love in his
life, and without it, there is nothing to live for. The pond also symbolizes a
new start of his life, since he finds love. It baptizes them and they both get a
new sense of life. When Mabel changes her clothes at the end of the story, she
is starting her new life. The clothes symbolize a new and fresh experience, one
of which she had never experienced before. Falling in love is something almost
everyone wants in some point of their lives. It is an important element of
happiness. In the beginning of the story, Mabel was dead and lifeless. In the
end, she is happy and full of anticipation. When she is out of the wet and dirty
clothes, she is freed from her troubles. The dirty clothes represent how she was
before she fell in love. It also represents how she was suicidal and depressed.
“She had on her best dress of black voile,” (The Horse Dealer’s Daughter
pg.992) expresses her happiness and eagerness to start something new. Before she
fell in love, she never wore clothing as elegant as this dress. This is
something new to her and something she wants to try out. Her change of clothes
also represents her change of personality and attitude. She changed from a quiet
woman that always kept to herself, to a loving woman that is open- minded. She
now feels that there is something to live for since there is someone to love.
Symbols are used to provide imagery and meaning in a story. One symbol has many
meanings and different ideas. If symbols were pointed out in a story, it creates
better understanding of it. In this story, “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,”
by D.H. Lawrence, symbols are used as love progresses. The pond symbolizes the
start of the love of Mabel and Dr. Lawrence. After they both go into the water,
they come out falling in love with each other. The description of the pond
suggests Dr. Fergusson’s feelings for Mabel before they fell in love. Just by
including something simple as a pond in this story, many ideas are created.
Water symbolizes many things, such as baptism and rebirth. It is a natural
element that can be used for many reasons. Using simple components like water,
it produces concepts for readers. The change of Mabel’s clothing represents
her change of heart. She did not care for anyone before the incident in the pond
had happened. This is a great way to end a story because it provides images and
ideas of what will happen to them in the future. The change of clothes is a
start of a fresh new life, and it suggests a happy ending for the two. By adding
that symbol, the reader can imagine what will happen to Mabel and Dr. Fergusson
later in their future. Symbols can also provide details that the author does not
need to add. It renders thoughts and ideas for the readers to create and imagine
for themselves.