(1)

On the surface D.H. Lawrence's "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" appears to be the tradition boy meets girl romantic story. In plot it fits perfectly, a country boy saves a drowning girl and sees something in her he never saw before. If one looks deeper into the story they will see it is anything, but typical. Lawrence defies our expectations of the classic romantic tale by exploring the dark and conflicting thoughts of two new lovers. (2)

Lawrence uses imagery in the story by describing all the family members as a certain type of animal. For example, Joe is described as a horse when he stands. Also like in other literature works, Lawrence uses water to symbolize life and death.(3)

Symbols:
The pond is described as dead and cold which symbolizes that Dr. Fergussen there was no feelings between him and Mabel before he saved her. That he was afraid to go too deep in the pond symbolizes that he was afraid to fall in love since he had never experienced it before. The pond represents rebirth and baptism. They are washed of their old lives and they start a new life together--a life that has meaning because before going into the pond they had both felt that their lives were pointless.
Another symbol is when Mabel changes her clothes at the end of the story. It symbolizes that she is embracing her new life and that she has a change of heart. Being out of the wet and dirty clothes frees here from her depressing and suicidal past. Also, the fact that she is wearing an elegant dress symbolizes that she is willing to go with a new outlook on life and she is changed from a quiet piece of furniture that her brothers pushed around to a loving, open-minded woman who now has a new love to live for.(4)

(1)http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/77/101577.jpg
(2)http://www.storybites.com/lawrencedaughter.htm
(3)http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=19906
(4)http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/2811.php