Sometimes it's hard to understand how important a certain issue is unless you examine it on a microscopic level. A dilemma stated in general terms is abstract and therefore difficult to relate; on a micro level, it becomes easier to see exactly how the situation harms people. The expression “world hunger” is detached; the image of a starving child is startling. In D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, Walter Morel is used as a microcosm for the stages of domestic abuse; he is the living embodiment of the cycles of abuse exacerbated by alcoholism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although Walter is a terrible father and an even worse husband, he hasn't always been that man; he was once charming and good-natured. When Gertrude first meets him, he is described as someone with a "sensual flame of life" (Lawrence 20); he sings, he dances, and although he is the opposite of her, he makes her feel as if “a warmth radiated through her as if she had been drinking wine.” In fact, she is so in love with him that they make the rash decision to get married. This phase of Morel's marriage can be considered the beginning of domestic abuse. Often, a couple is caught off guard by the "honeymoon effect" and therefore ignores anything that puts their significant other in a negative light. The rushed nature of their marriage means that both Walter and Gertrude can be impulsive and easily give in to strong emotions, key traits in any unstable relationship. Furthermore, Walter is not yet an alcoholic; in fact, he is someone who “had signed the pledge and wore the blue ribbon of a tee-totaler,” indicating his teetotal status. This is the calm before the storm; Gertrude does not see Walter's flaws and he is not yet an alcoholic. However, once both of these factors change, the storm begins to brew. Six months into their hasty marriage, Walter turns out to be the opposite of what Gertrude thought he was. She discovers that the house is rented, and he flirts with the women he helped dance: "And it was crowded every Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday... and there were things to do, by all accounts." ". Although her opinion of Walter changes quickly as she learns more about the man he is, she is only embittered by him. Until that moment, she still feels love for him. Once he starts drinking, however, the scenario becomes even more more tense. She begins to “despise” her husband, and the later he comes home, the angrier she becomes. This symbolizes a key aspect of the growing tension; verbal compromises become more difficult to reach. Meanwhile, drinking makes Walter more irritable. The “honeymoon phase” no longer exists; both parties see all the negative traits of each other and the complaints about how one behaves increase dimensions.Therefore, without alcoholism as a catalyst, tensions would not have skyrocketed and violence would never have erupted.When the Morels' tension reaches its peak, the violence begins, marking the true episode of domestic abuse. As one party fails to reconcile with the other, Gertrude's frustration explodes and, as a result, Walter lashes out at her: "He approached her, red-faced, with bloodshot eyes, he pushed himself into forward and grabbed her arms. She was crying out of fear of him, struggling to free herself." This grip he uses symbolizes his control; the abusers want to have control over the victims and therefore use violence to keep them under control his grabbing her by the arms is the literal embodiment of his.