# XXXI explained — His Family

> Chapter companion for His Family by Ernest Poole.

## What happens

Roger Gale worries about his daughter Laura's increasingly rebellious and modern attitudes, which clash with the family's traditional values. Laura's marriage to Harold Sloane is in crisis, and she reveals to Deborah that she is seeking a divorce, accusing her husband of hypocrisy and using a detective against her. Deborah, caught between her own ideals and Laura's turmoil, struggles to reconcile her sister's actions with her own views on love and independence.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love, Marriage, and Women's Roles

Laura's divorce crisis and Deborah's internal conflict about love and independence explore the tension between traditional marriage expectations and emerging modern views on women's autonomy.

### Family and Generational Change

Roger's concern over Laura's behavior and the clash between her modern ideas and the family's conservative values illustrate generational conflict within the Gale family.

### The Impact of Modernity and War

Laura's comments about the war clearing away 'old rubbish' and her embrace of a 'glorious pagan era' reflect the disruptive influence of modernity and wartime changes on traditional society.

## Character check-ins

### Roger Gale

Roger is troubled by Laura's behavior and her modern, unsettling views on war and society, but he is also preoccupied with other family troubles.

### Laura Gale

Laura is in the midst of a marital crisis, seeking a divorce from Harold Sloane. She expresses radical opinions about war and society, and her relationship with her family is strained.

### Deborah Gale

Deborah listens to Laura's confession about her marriage and divorce plans, grappling with her own feelings about love, work, and independence while trying to support her sister.

### Edith Gale

Edith is present in the household, disapproving of Laura's behavior and attempting to shield her children from the family drama.

### Harold Sloane

Harold is Laura's husband, who is seeking a divorce and has used a detective to gather evidence against her.

## Key lines

> If there were any cloud upon his horizon, it was the thought of Laura.

The only worry on Roger's mind was Laura.

_Introduces Roger's concern about Laura's behavior._

> She did not consider the war wholly bad—by no means, it had many good points. It was clearing away a lot of old rubbish, customs, superstitions and institutions out of date.

Laura thought the war was beneficial because it eliminated outdated traditions and beliefs.

_Highlights Laura's radical views on the war and social change._

> No, this time it's divorce!

Laura declares that she is definitely getting a divorce.

_Laura reveals the crisis in her marriage._

> You know no more about love like mine than a nun of the middle ages!

Laura accuses Deborah of being ignorant about passionate love, comparing her to a medieval nun.

_Laura challenges Deborah's understanding of love and relationships._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/his_family_se/chapters