A Loss of Innocence

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D.H Lawrence’s The Rocking Horse Winner and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies view children as easily manipulated figures. D.H. Lawrence’s short story demonstrates how easily children, Paul, can be influenced into believing that money and luck indicate one’s level of happiness. William Golding’s novel tries to show that all children are evil and have savage impulses. A common theme in both of these works is that children create their own downfall and loss of innocence.

In D.H. Lawrence’s The Rocking Horse Winner, Paul is searching for an identity and love. Paul’s mother was incapable of love; “when her children were present, she always felt the centre of her heart go hard.” Paul’s mother desires materialistic possessions and excludes priceless items such as love. Paul’s mother and father were incapable of maintaining the social position they had to uphold with the amount of money they made. The house was always high strung and believed that there was always a need for more money. The house became haunted by the unspoken phrase, “There must be more money!” Paul was outraged when he confronted his mother about the family’s lack of wealth, and she rejected his statement that he is lucky. After this scene, Paul was easily influenced that he would be able to reach this place of luck and finally satisfy his mother. Her desires for more money and luck are never satisfied, and as a result, lead to tragic consequences when love and money are confused in Paul’s mind. Paul’s heartbreaking attempt to win his mother’s love inevitably leads to his own death.

Lawrence’s, The Rocking Horse Winner, exposes the negative qualities associated with modern society and specifically adults. Adults are corrupting children at a young age to believe ...

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... will be greatly affected. In Lawrence’s The Rocking Horse Winner, Paul’s upbringing is greatly influenced by his mother. Paul is raised to believe that materialistic possessions are needed to maintain happiness. Golding’s Lord of the Flies demonstrates that without adult supervision, children are naturally inclined to be evil. There are no rules implemented in the novel and as a result, the children stray away from the expected behaviors of society. Although both works view children differently, both works prove that children create their own downfall as a result of trying to create the perfect society.

Works Cited

- Golding, William. Lord of the flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.
- Lawrence, D.H.. "Rocking Horse Winner, by DH Lawrence." Rocking Horse Winner, by DH Lawrence. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .

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