T H E S I S

T H E S I S T H E S I S

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60 puritan formula. This mentalization of sex is what Lawrence calls " white-sex", i.e., sex through the nerves and consciousness, but disintegrative, relegated to the status of a merely mechanical act. "White-sex” implies sex in the head, "cold, white, nervous, personal, bloodless, a pure matter of nerves."(APL 103) However, Lawrence*s puritan society could not understand the "phallic consciousness" the author tried to oppose to "whitesex". For the "grey puritans" sexuality in itself is indecency and dirtiness, but their morality, according to Lawrence, is false; it is based on the secrecy, and this is perversion, Ma perversion of puritanism" as Lawrence says. (APL $2) They cannot feel the real emotions of sex and the harmony between body and mind* Why speak of the "body's life" to them, if they are nsexual morons"? In Lady Chatterley*s Lover Connie and Mellors, although belonging to different social classes, achieve a vivid relation because they learn to recognize the importance of the body's life for complete sexual fulfilment6i Therefore, for people unprepared to understand the imp or», tance of physical sensations, Lawrence*s realistic doctrine is in fact inadequate. They are accustomed to fake sensations and fake explanations. Puritans tend to have two extreme attitudes concerning sex and "obscene" wordss either they are puritans, but false puritans, or they are prurient. Being puritans, those whom Lawrence calls "grey puritans", they see prurience in everything related to sex, even if it is a literary work of art. Being prurient, they have a morbid desire for everything that is “sexual". As Lawrence says, they want to keep "the little dirty

61 secret".; Neither can be of any help to Lawrence. Both suffer from a sort of "sex in the head". Lawrence wants people to deal with sex fully in the open, and to think in and to listen to the libidinous words without shuddering and without thrilling. He is puritanical in his doctrine of sex, but a different kind of puritan.1

60<br />

puritan formula. This mentalization of sex is what Lawrence<br />

calls " white-sex", i.e., sex through the nerves and consciousness,<br />

but disintegrative, relegated to the status of a merely mechanical<br />

act. "White-sex” implies sex in the head, "cold, white, nervous,<br />

personal, bloodless, a pure matter of nerves."(APL 103)<br />

However, Lawrence*s puritan society could not understand<br />

the "phallic consciousness" the author tried to oppose to "whitesex".<br />

For the "grey puritans" sexuality in itself is indecency<br />

and dirtiness, but their morality, according to Lawrence, is<br />

false; it is based on the secrecy, and this is perversion, Ma<br />

perversion of puritanism" as Lawrence says. (APL $2) They cannot<br />

feel the real emotions of sex and the harmony between body and<br />

mind* Why speak of the "body's life" to them, if they are<br />

nsexual morons"?<br />

In Lady Chatterley*s Lover Connie and Mellors, although belonging<br />

to different social classes, achieve a vivid relation because<br />

they learn to recognize the importance of the body's life<br />

for complete sexual fulfilment6i<br />

Therefore, for people unprepared to understand the imp or»,<br />

tance of physical sensations, Lawrence*s realistic doctrine is in<br />

fact inadequate. They are accustomed to fake sensations and fake<br />

explanations. Puritans tend to have two extreme attitudes<br />

concerning sex and "obscene" wordss either they are puritans,<br />

but false puritans, or they are prurient. Being puritans, those<br />

whom Lawrence calls "grey puritans", they see prurience in everything<br />

related to sex, even if it is a literary work of art. Being<br />

prurient, they have a morbid desire for everything that is<br />

“sexual". As Lawrence says, they want to keep "the little dirty

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