The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-31
THE NEW BOOKS
"AarOn's Rod"

| ID, III. Lawrence IN MS DOOk hdfoh
Rod" works on his canvas in touches.
Strong mystic touches that mercilessly
bring TO the light what some may say
should only be limited at or even be
hidden. Mystic is used here ina sense
that must be interpreted as psychic. For
the trouble with the inner world Of
today is essentially psychic. No matter
what the physical reactions are it is
with the inner restlessness OF the world
that this novel as well as the many novels
Of the day are concerned.
From the speech and the revelation
Of the characters it is hard TO say what
type Lawrence considers His characters
all are restless. They are all on the 60
for something they themselves do moi
know the color Of. They react as the
physical in them reacts. They react
! according TO the modification of their
instincts-if they are prone TO follow the
notifications. All but one are thus.
This one man, Lilly, seems to find
sort Of peace. He rubs shoulders and is
one Of the many but the author shows
that he is alone. lndividualism is a
weak word for it. This man is not self
satisfied. He is at peace with himself.
He seems to have found the restfulness
the world seeks and yet-despite the
psycho-analytical lecture he goes into at
the effd Of the book, we do not know
what the talisman is, he himself can
not explain it-as he himself answers
Aaron's query, "Your soul will tell
you.
And yet the book is not about Lilly.
Nor is it about Aaron and his rod Ia
flute for Aaron is a good musician)
This is an analysis; very fine probing
analysis into the question Of today, to-
morrow (perhaps) a million years ago;
lie raison d'etre. A question probing in
to the hearts Of men and women to
whom education, living and the present
state Of the world has brought an un-
holy desire to be satisfied. This is an
age Of urges" We follow the urge.
We do not know what the urge may be.
We follow it because we desire. We
do not know why we desire.
Lawrence proves conclusively that it is
not the sex urge; yet the sex urge
makes itself felt. Then it is also not
the power" urge for that has not made
Sir William, who has followed it to
the end.-happy.
What then is this psychic craving Of
man and how will it be satisfied? Law
renee offers Lilly as the type that has
ound it, BIZ. through the mouth Of
Lilly even We cannot underestimate
is Aaron does not-and Aaron is I'VE"
the sincere gasping Of mankind in
this turmoil Of psychic unrest. Lilly
sums up his panacea as follows: -All
men must submit to the greater soul in
man for their guidance; and women
must submit to the positive power-soul
in man. for their being"
And the story Of Aaron's rod is the
story Of Aaron who, without knowing
why, leaves his wife and children and
wanders across the continent and over
England in search Of peace. He knows
that Lilly has it, or he senses it, and.
yet Lilly is such little man that some.
thing in him rises against belief that
there is the thing he has been looking
for. He goes on. But his wandering
and experiences are useless. His inner
craving is not answered. He meets Lii
ly again and admits that Lilly has it
admits it to himself as well-but how
is Aaron to get it? He (Aaron) is told
10 look in his own soul for it. After
reading the book We wonder is it not
a new race begun for Aaron-wfere is
his soul and where will he find it at
peace TO ask it?
England or rather English writers
seem to be obsessed with the study Of
the psyche. With true English deliber-
alton they probe slowly, painfully and
surely. This is an entire novel Of prob
ings. Lawrence lays the inner men and
women out before the reader. Each is
different as an individual but the one
thing makes them common.