SOLVED. Coal miner nicknamed "Mole" who is an abusive drunkard; from the perspective of his wife. [s]

[Elina]

I remember getting about halfway through a pretty interesting book where the woman is the main character. She marries a disgusting drunkard of a man whose only sort-of saving grace is that he at the very least somewhat provides for his family. Her young son is ambitious and smart and begins to work at a young age (12 or so?) in an office. He has to take the train or bus on his own to work and stays there all day. He is his mother's pride and joy--handsome, healthy, and helpful, contributing to the money that the father is very stingy with and often spends on alcohol. The father, a nasty man who is always angry (I believe I remember multiple violent incidents?) and comes home mainly to eat and sleep and terrorize everyone, is referred to as Mole--possibly a nickname the wife comes up for him? He is often covered in soot after emerging from the mines.

I started reading it 5 years ago and then lost it during a move, and I've thought about it so many times (I'm not one to leave a book unfinished) that I have to know what it is called so that I can find it and begin reading it again. I think it's placed during the early-to-mid 1900s.

I also just remembered that the wife can't stand her husband. I think she stays with him only for the children's sake. She sort of has a life-isn't-fair, martyr-like mentality the way women often did back then.

The book was covered in black fabric. It may have had a jacket at one point, but I don't know. It looked pretty old and could've been so old it was from when jackets weren't really made for books. That would actually place it during the early-to-mid 1800s. So I could be totally wrong about the century.

[Mai]

I don't know if all the details match but Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence seems to fit the generic plot.

[Elina]

Yes, you are correct!

Oh wow, I might have mixed up "Mole" in my head just because he's a miner and that may never have been his nickname, but THANK YOU. I just searched it up, and yes, that's it! I've always had an attachment to D.H. Lawrence's books for some reason and they always stand out to me at a bookstore, but I could never figure out why. Ummm...turns out it's because I spent 5 years thinking about one of his books! Haha.