# His explained — The Forsyte Saga

> Chapter companion for The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy.

## What happens

Soames returns home after his father James's funeral and receives news that his wife Annette has given birth to a daughter. He struggles with disappointment over not having a son and with his emotional distance from Annette, but upon seeing the baby, he feels a powerful sense of possession and names her Fleur.

## Themes in this chapter

### Possessiveness and the Sense of Property

Soames's final exclamation 'By God! this—this thing was his!' encapsulates his view of the baby as a possession, echoing his earlier possessiveness toward Irene and his property.

### Family and Duty

Soames performs his familial duties by attending to James's funeral and visiting Annette, yet feels emotionally detached from both his wife and the newborn.

### Love vs. Marriage as a Contract

Soames's realization that he will never be spiritually close to Annette underscores the transactional nature of their marriage; he 'collected her—that was all!'

## Character check-ins

### Soames Forsyte

Returns home after James's funeral; receives news of Annette's delivery; feels disappointment at not having a son; names the baby Fleur and feels a renewed sense of possession.

### Annette Forsyte

Has given birth to a daughter; is pale and recovering; tells Soames she can have no more children.

### James Forsyte

Has died; Soames writes his death notice.

### Emily Forsyte

Kisses Soames and thanks him for his help during James's death.

### Madame Lamotte

Attends Annette; offends Soames with her matter-of-fact French manner and her adoration of the baby.

## Key lines

> No tree, no shrub, not a blade of grass, not a bird or beast, not even a fish that was not owned.

Everything in nature is claimed as private property.

_Reflects Soames's worldview and the theme of possessiveness._

> By God! this—this thing was his!

Soames feels a triumphant sense of ownership over his newborn daughter.

_Climactic expression of the possessive instinct._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forsyte_saga_se/chapters/part-iii-xiv-his
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forsyte_saga_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forsyte_saga_se/chapters