Lawrence's 1923 novel draws on his own experience as a traveler in Australia the preceding year. The main characters, Richard and Harriet Somers, are based in part on Lawrence and his wife Frieda; in particular, Somers and Lawrence share the humiliating experience of being examined and declared physically unfit for military service, an episode Lawrence describes vividly in the novel. Richard and Harriet go to Sydney after the war to escape what they see as the debased life and stunted opportunities of Europe. Struggling to cope with a marriage that is more of a power struggle than a love relationship, they become involved with a man known as Kangaroo, the leader of a radical political party who tries to enlist Richard in the cause. Richard is indecisive--both attracted and resistant--but, in the end, he and Harriet reject Kangaroo and embark for America. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.