The Hidden Truth in The Rocking-Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence

Paul is infatuated with luck for after being convinced that luck is the bane of his father and family he feels as if he is responsible for maintaining his family 's happiness with the success that his luck brings. Whispers that creep through his house are whispers of depression and doubt that plague Paul driving him forwards thus he states, “I started it for mother. She said she had no luck, because father is unlucky, so I thought if I was lucky, it might stop the whispering" (Lawrence 8). Paul finds himself encumbered with the burden of maintaining a family 's happiness. As an adolescent hoping to please his mother Paul must push himself past the limit of the

To begin with, Paul is counseling having flashbacks about his family and secrets that are untold. The author

The "Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence is a story, which emphasizes the battered relationship between a mother and her child. The author's work is known for its explorations of human nature and illustrates the nature of materialism. The author employs techniques of the fairy tale to moralize on the value of love and the dangers of the money. D.H. Lawrence presents an upper class family that is destroyed by greed because they always felt like no matter how much money they had, they always needed more. He tells the reader about the downfall of an upper middle class family struggling to maintain appearances through habitual overspending. The author displays the negative

237). By riding his rocking horse Paul is able to predict the winner of horse races at the track. He uses this ability in an attempt to provide for the family. In doing this he tries to assume his father’s in an attempt to please his mother and the household’s constant whispering the need for more money. “I started it for mother. She said she had no luck, because father is unlucky, so I thought if I was lucky, it might stop whispering.” (Kennedy & Gioia, 2013, pp. 240) even as Paul is dying he is still consumed with trying fill the role of a provider for his mother, “I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse and get there, then I’m absolutely sure – oh, absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!” […] “But the boy died in the night.” (Kennedy & Gioia, 2013, pp. 245). Paul’s death was a sacrifice to please his mother, who put her desires for money and material things above the love of her children.

Another indication the relationship between Paul and his mother is not perfect is that the relationship is completely one sided. Paul consumes all of his time and energy into finding "luck" after his mother tells him, "'If you are lucky you have money'" (256). Paul knows that if he finds "luck" it will bring money which in return will bring happiness to his mother. Paul's "luck" is found when he rides his rocking horse and is sure of which horse to bet on. When his uncle asks what he is going to do with the money Paul unselfishly responds by saying, "' I started if for mother. She said she had no luck...so I thought if I was lucky, it might stop whispering'" (261). Even though he knows his mother doesn't care for him he still goes through all the trouble in trying to give her happiness. The one-sided relationship is shown again when Paul anonymously gives his mother "a birthday present of a thousand pounds for five successive years" (262). When his mother discovers her generous gift her face hardens and she becomes expressionless (263). She is not at all grateful for the gift, instead of wondering where the money came from she is more occupied with receiving the money all at once (263). Instead of being upset Paul is desperate to please her and "lets her have it [money]" (263). As a result of his mothers lack of maturity in raising a family Paul unintentionally assumes the

Although he is relieved when he receives a leave, he can no longer feel at home around his family. Unable to make himself at home, Paul says, “But a sense of strangeness will not leave me, I cannot feel at home amongst these things... but I am not myself there. There is a distance, a veil between us.”(160) Even after meeting his ill mother, Paul cannot convince himself that this was where he belonged.

Paul proceeds to bet more and more money, losing sometimes and winning a large amount of wealth. However this fortune, much like everything else, is squandered away as Hester continues spending more than she has. Meaningless things such as “new furnishings”(pg.1257) decorate the now screaming house. The source of Paul’s good luck was a childhood toy, a wooden rocking horse, that he would ride on furiously until the name of the winning horses in the races would be told to him mentally. Eventually these led to Paul having brain fever and ultimately his death, but not before he left his cold mother eighty thousand pounds for his

The mysteries of the world are mysteries for a reason, because nobody knows them. D.H. Lawrence tells a story, where a young boy tries and seems to find out those mysteries, called The Rocking-Horse Winner. He gives three messages on the mysteries of life in this story. He starts with money. Does our money make us who we are? Then he talks about the strength and power of ones words. Lastly Lawrence talks about luck. Can a person be lucky or is that just what life gave them.

Christianity has been a prominent religion for centuries and has found a way to spread its message through literary works including but not limited to short stories and parables. Such is the case for The Rocking Horse Winner by the infamous English novelist D.H. Lawrence, who manifests a Christ figure within the protagonist Paul utilizing vague Biblical symbolism and details to relay his message about greed and the greater good.

With this quote from the short story, The Rocking Horse Winner, written by D.H. Lawrence, we can analyze and understand how the words of Paul’s mother, Hester, become the engine to the events that follow. The meanings of these words are key elements throughout the story. Our main character is Paul, and after a conversation with his mother about what is luck, the life of the characters take a positive turn economically. However, throughout the story we realize how damaging this was for Paul.

Paul’s mother denied her son of what most children around the world are given from day one. Now, his shortage of love has taken up his time to think about being a child, and all he desires is to make his mother more money than she could ever imagine. As readers we want to believe that the horse is magical, but it could’ve been that he just got lucky that one time. Although he continues to win, the exhaustion

Paul desire his mother’s love more than anything. However he believes he needs to prove he is lucky. He struggles to prove that he is to make his mother happy. Paul wants his mother to love him more than anything. For Paul’s mother money equals luck, and this will gain her love. “There must be more money”(19). He hears these voices throughout the house. They hear these voices when hey are receiving items of joy, especially around Christmas time. The other children can hear the voices and so can the rocking horse Paul received. Even though they can hear the voices they do not say anything. This is due to the fact that every one is used to it so it would be like saying “we are breathing”(20). This led Paul to realizes that there family is in debt and he believes that in order for them to get out of this debt, he has to take action. This shows that he is willing to take the problem into his own hands because he believes that no one else can do anything about

Written by D.H. Lawrence in 1920, The Rocking-Horse Winner is a short story fairy tale about a young boy who “[takes] on the impossible quest of freeing his mother from a family ‘curse’” (IV). In the story, the mother deems herself as unlucky because she is poor. Lawrence writes that she could not love her children, that her heart would go hard when they were around. Even so, others thought of her as a loving mother who adored her children. “She married for love, and the love turned to dust” (Kirszner pg. 481). The entire first paragraph of the story presents itself as very solemn and full of regret. It sets a sad, mournful tone to the beginning and makes me feel like the house is doomed.

Paul`s life is in chaos as he is attempting to uproot his entire life by creating a façade to appeal to the white upper-class. It is this façade, however, that gives Paul control in his life as he is finally able to belong to a family with the Kittredges. This imbalance in Paul`s life causes him to be an Other because he has changed his entire life to simply swindle wealthy whites.

Works by the same author often show the repeated use of certain words, images, or plots. In five short stories by the author, D.H. Lawrence, differences between social classes are the basis for conflict and provide the foundation for taboo relationships. These five stories are "The Rocking-Horse Winner," "The Prussian Officer," "Second Best," "The White Stocking," and "The Daughters of the Vicar." The inclusion of the motif of class differences in these particular works often leads to acts of violence or tragedy as the outcome.