The important Character in The Rocking Horse Winner


"The rocking horse winner" by D.H. Lawrence is a striking story about a little
boy, Paul who secretly rides his rocking horse to pick the winning horse in the
various horse races that took place. After the beginning of the story, there is
a short conversation between Paul and his mother about luck, and it was the
conversation that started the whole dramatic episode which lead to Paul's death.
The conversation between Paul and his mother, the phrase that is constantly
heard in the house and the rocking horse itself are the main ideas covered in
the scope of this paper.

The dialogue between Paul and his mother is mainly about luck and how a person
can get money if such a person is lucky. From the story, the reader should be
aware of Hester's crave for money and her expensive taste, therefore, it is not
surprising when she talks her son into believing that luck brings money. We
could also establish at this point that the family is at least living
comfortably, meaning they were not very poor; "They lived in a pleasant house,
with a garden, and they had discreet servants." Paul's mother tells him that his
father is not lucky and because of this, she is no longer a lucky woman. The
conversation ends with Paul believing that he is a lucky boy, and the action he
takes in finding this luck is what brings his demise in the end.

The phrase "there must be more money" was mentioned in the story over ten times.
The phrase symbolizes the insatiable desire the family has for money. In the
early parts of the story the phrase was being heard by the children, and they
knew that they heard it but none of them said anything about it. The reader can
also conclude that the phrase also pushed Paul into the act he was doing to make
all the money. The reader would notice from the story that the phrase grows
louder when Paul's mother had possession of the five thousand pounds that was
given to her by Paul, even though she did not know the money was from Paul
"...and Paul's mother touched the whole five thousand. Then something curious
happened. The voices in the house suddenly went mad". As if thirsting for more
money the phrase grows louder because Paul's mother has spent all the money to
satisfy her expensive taste. This voices have affected Paul "It frightened Paul
terribly" and "He became wild-eyed and strange, as if something were going to
explode in him".

Having talked about the phrase and the conversation, we can now talk about the
rocking horse. The rocking horse is the medium Paul uses to get the winning
horse and subsequently win money in the horse races. Paul believes that his
rocking horse would take him to luck, "Now, take me to where there is luck! Now
take me" he said. Paul rides his horse wildly until he is sure about the winning
horse then he would tell Bassert, the young Gardener who would place his bet on
the winning horse. Bassert has been his partner and also his uncle Oscar. There
must be a divine association between Paul and his Horse because the horse he
chooses never loses. Bassert told Oscar "It's as if he gets it from heaven". The
derby was approaching and Paul had not known the winning horse, so he rides
wildly and he starts becoming ill, his mother even noticed him, "His mother
noticed how overwrought he was."At this point his mother should have forcefully
tried to know what was wrong with him. The night before the derby Paul rides his
horse until he knows the winning horse "Then he fell with a crash to the
ground". Paul becomes unconscious till the third day after which he dies at
night.

It is very obvious, the irony that rocking horse which brings him his "luck" is
what brings him his death. Paul's death is as a result of negligence on his
mother's part and on the part of his uncle, Oscar. Oscar had said "My God,
Hester you're eighty thousand to the good, and a poor devil of a son to the
bad.". If Oscar had known that the little boy was "a poor devil of a son to the
bad", he should have stopped Paul from riding the horse that kills. The
description of his mother from the beginning of the story is being shown "She
is a good mother. She adores her children.' only she herself, and her children
themselves, knew it was not so". Uncle Oscar also must have been busy enjoying
the good luck the boy brings but refused to stop him. Paul dies at night
probably believing he is lucky, but we know that the boy is not lucky
after all.
To sum up Paul is the most important character in The Rocking Horse Winner By D. H. Lawrence.We can percieve the relationship between Paul and his mother Hester.

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