# II: The Rise of Alvina Houghton explained — The Lost Girl

> Chapter companion for The Lost Girl by D. H. Lawrence.

## What happens

This chapter introduces Alvina Houghton, the heroine, who was overshadowed during her first twenty-five years. Raised under the strict, benevolent guidance of her governess Miss Frost, Alvina appears demure and refined but harbors a hidden, sardonic nature. Her social life revolves around the Congregational Chapel. At twenty-three, she becomes engaged to Alexander Graham, an Australian doctor, but the engagement is broken off when he returns to Australia. Alvina feels relief and is left with a burning curiosity about men, finding the local young men lacking compared to Graham.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Independence and Marriage

Alvina's engagement to Graham and its dissolution highlight her struggle between societal expectations of marriage and her own inner desires.

### Illusion vs. Reality

The contrast between Alvina's demure exterior and her hidden sardonic nature, and the tension between her upbringing and her true self.

### The Ordinary vs. the Extraordinary

Alvina's curiosity about Graham and her sense that local young men are 'blank' or 'common' reflects her longing for something beyond the ordinary.

## Character check-ins

### Alvina Houghton

The heroine, now in her early twenties, raised by Miss Frost, engaged briefly to Alexander Graham, and showing a hidden sardonic nature.

### Miss Frost

Alvina's governess, who raised her to be demure and refined, but is troubled by Alvina's hidden derisive side.

### James Houghton

Alvina's father, whose fortunes overshadow the family; he treats Graham with suave attention and jealousy.

### Mrs. Houghton

Alvina's mother, who dislikes Graham and takes sal volatile.

### Graham

An Australian doctor who becomes engaged to Alvina but returns to Australia, breaking the engagement.

## Key lines

> She remained for twenty years the demure, refined creature of her governess’ desire. But there was an odd, derisive look at the back of her eyes, a look of old knowledge and deliberate derision.

Alvina outwardly conformed to Miss Frost's ideal of a proper young lady, but secretly harbored a mocking, knowing attitude.

_Illustrates the theme of illusion vs. reality and Alvina's hidden nature._

> Love?—no, it was not love! It was something more primitive still. It was curiosity, deep, radical, burning curiosity.

Alvina's attraction to Graham was not love but a profound, primal curiosity.

_Highlights Alvina's inner drive and the theme of the ordinary vs. the extraordinary._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lost_girl_se/chapters/ii-the-rise-of-alvina-houghton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lost_girl_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lost_girl_se/chapters