Novella Short Overview
Rocking-Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence is indeed a remarkable piece of literature:
- Plot Summary: The story opens with an unnamed woman (later revealed as Hester) who feels unlucky in life. She struggles to love her children and believes she must make up for some unknown mistake. The family appears wealthy but is always short of money. The house seems haunted, whispering, “There must be more money!” The children, through significant glances, share this eerie experience.
- Paul’s Gift: Hester’s son, Paul, discovers an unusual talent—he can predict horse-race winners by riding a rocking-horse until he enters a trance. His obsession with winning money becomes both a curse and a desperate attempt to satisfy the house’s insatiable demand.
- Themes: The Rocking-Horse Winner delves into materialism, the destructive pursuit of wealth, and the emotional void within the family. Lawrence’s writing captures anxiety and dread, making it a haunting exploration of human desires and their consequences12.
“The Rocking-horse winner” is one the best work of Lawrence, in this short story the writer narrates the story of a young boy who his family is always in finance problems. The boy’s mother is seen to be materialistic and the mother instead or providing the much needed love by her children she always dream of the status that money can bestow to the family. This makes her to tell her son that there are not lucky since they do not have money. Paul is aware of the family financial problem and with the knowledge that his mother always like the status that comes with money is determined to help his mother and be able silence the voice. There must be more money” that haunt the family which has an expensive taste.
In all Lawrence works there are elements of love and these can be showcased by the love that the young boy has for his mother and the dream that he has of helping his mother out this agony of financial problem. Paul tells his uncle that he won’t stop until he gets “there”. Paul at his age the love his other is well reflected and the boy is ready to do anything that can help to provide the money for the family that the father has failed to provide.
One of theme that is portrayed in this story is neglect. In this story Lawrence narrates about a beautiful lady who is so materialistic such that she neglects to offer love to her children and claim that it is money that can only provide for them. These shows elements of neglect as she; fails to provide the necessary love and care to her son which are essential to development of a mentally steady child as he is observed to be trouble by the family problems.
As the narrator point out in the opening paragraph the relationship among the Hester and her children seem to be strong and which is wrapped by love, but the mother do not love her children although in the eyes of many she seems to love them. This is another theme of deceit that the writer brings up, since the mother just pretends to love her children but in the real sense she only has love for money.
The writer also uses the theme of obsession, where the mother is materially obsessed and tells his son that they arte not lucky since they do not have money. Hester has the desire for materials things, in the festive period we see her purchasing expensive and stylish commodities for her family and this makes her neglect her children for her obsession of money. She surpass obsession to her son where her son is determined to get money that is of high importance to her mother .
The theme of opportunism is also addressed; Paul is delineated to posses a supernatural gift where he is able to pick the winning horse easily. Due to this Oscar is afraid of the gift that Paul posses and this drives him to formulate a plan so as to take advantage of Paul. Oscar with the knowledge that the can’t be able to stop Paul, befriends him and tries to pass on ,word of encourage while in return he asks Paul on ways that he applies in pick up the winning horse. Paul without knowing that Oscar is an opportunist goes ahead to mention the horse that he believes will win considering Oscar to be his friend. Shortly after picking up the winning horse Oscar a abandons him and place a bet of huge amount of money on the horse.
The other theme that is brought up by the author is theme of flawed sagacity of values. In the marriage between Hester and husband the key drive is the money when Hester gets hold of money she is happy with the marriage but if there is none, she refers her husband as unlucky. She has a materialistic goal on her marriage, thus she does not devote herself to her husband and the child who need her most. This makes her relationship with her son to become stale. This is also showcased where; Hester gets holds of money, she spends it on expensive purchases thus making the theme of greed to crop up.
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D. H. Lawrence blends realism with symbolism, creating a unique narrative:
- Realistic Details: Lawrence introduces realistic elements, such as family dynamics and financial struggles. The characters, including the unnamed mother (later revealed as Hester), grapple with love, materialism, and societal expectations1.
- Symbolic Elements: The rocking horse serves as a powerful symbol. It represents both a childhood toy and a desperate vehicle for acquiring wealth. The haunting refrain—“There must be more money!”—echoes throughout the story, emphasizing the family’s materialistic obsession2.
- Magical Realism: Lawrence briefly delves into magical realism, asking readers to suspend disbelief. This genre choice heightens tension and emotion for the characters, making the story even more captivating3.
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” masterfully weaves realism and symbolism, inviting readers into a world where material desires collide with deeper human struggles. It is one of the best stories, which is full of realism about most us. Where in this piece of work the author also discuses the theme of quest. Paul rides his horse with determination like a knight when in a battle field, in the words of her mother that luck is everything he search for luck so that he get the money which troubles her mother so that she can be free and focus on her family especially Paul and bridge the gap with love which seems to lacking.
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” stands out among literary classics due to its unique blend of realism and symbolism. Let’s compare it to a few other well-known works:
- “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Both stories explore the pursuit of wealth and its impact on characters. While Gatsby’s wealth is ostentatious, the family in “The Rocking-Horse Winner” struggles silently. Both highlight the emptiness of materialism.
- “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: Like Lawrence’s story, “The Lottery” combines everyday life with a shocking twist. In both, seemingly ordinary settings reveal deeper human flaws and societal issues.
- “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka: While Kafka’s work leans more toward surrealism, it shares themes of alienation and transformation. Similarly, the rocking horse in Lawrence’s story becomes a conduit for supernatural revelations.
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” resonates with readers by intertwining the mundane and the mystical, leaving a lasting impression. Lawrence’s novella is a powerful examination of the human condition, blending realism with a touch of the supernatural.