Why is Sons and Lovers considered a semiautobiographical novel?

Sons and Lovers is considered a semiautobiographical novel because it draws heavily from the early life and personal experiences of D.H. Lawrence. The narrative serves as a psychological study of Lawrence's own struggle to detach from his mother.1

Key parallels between the novel and Lawrence’s life include:

• Characters: The protagonist, Paul Morel, is identified as a representation of Lawrence himself. The parents, a drinking miner and a dominant mother, are modeled on Lawrence’s own parents.1
• Relationships: The character Miriam Leivers is based on Jessie Chambers, a woman from Lawrence’s past who actually provided feedback on the manuscript.1
• Family History: The death of Paul’s elder brother, William, mirrors the early death of Lawrence’s brother, Ernest.1
• Setting: The novel depicts Eastwood and Haggs Farm with vivid realism, reflecting the two primary locations of Lawrence’s youth.1

While the affair with Clara Dawes is considered largely imaginary, the book functions as a "psychoanalytic study" of Lawrence’s own development and his complex emotional ties to his family.1