The usage of the words "cold" and "death" in the short story are numerous. The setting here is that of depression, uncertainty, cold, grayness, and death. The theme of subjection, as a pet animal would be subject of a human, arises three times, first, with draught horses when they are leaving the dealer's home for the last time. Second, when describing Mabel's brother Joe and his next job on the estate in his new marriage. The third time is when Dr. Ferguson faces Mabel and the look of her eyes seems overpowering to him, as if he is a subject of hers. The primary point or thesis of this story will circulate around the idea that love is not always found in the traditions that society in general predicates. I believe also, the image of "crossing a gulf" so to speak is an important theme, as it eloquently describes the necessity for humans to accept one's true feelings that could be buried by pressures in society.
The crisis of the story is that the three brothers and sister Mabel are facing the elimination of their father's once prosperous horse trading farm. They are now facing huge debt and potential joblessness. This causes the setting of uncertainty and depression. In conjunction, D.H Lawrence uses the word "cold" 9 times throughout, and the word "dead" or "deadened" 10 times so as to help convey this feeling. Grayness is emphasized along with moisture in the sentence, " It was grey, deadened, and wintry, with a slow, moist, heavy coldness sinking in and deadening all the facilities." Also we find the imagery in describing the pond scene, " As he stirred he could smell the rotten, cold, clay that fouled up the water." We see these words are used as images or symbols foreshadowing the attempted suicide, which was the result of an apparent void in Mabel's life caused by her mother's death and lack of (male) companionship.
"But now it was all over. He had crossed over the gulf to her, and all that he had left behind shriveled and became void.
