Societies craving of fortune always ends in misfortune

572 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Money symbolism in 'The Rocking-Horse Winner' by D.H. Lawrence

Everybody has, at one point in their life, had a desire for more money. D. H. Lawrence uses many symbols in “The Rocking-Horse Winner” to convey the fact that the pursuit of happiness through monetary gain ends in tragedy. The main symbol is the rocking horse, representing how the protagonist Paul is trying to win the affection of his mother. Next is Paul’s mother who demonstrates materialistic views. Finally, the voices in the house symbolize greed and corruption. Lawrence effectively uses these symbols to show how money destroys lives.

Initially, the rocking horse seems to be Paul’s play-toy as he just rides it back and forth. But delving deeper into Lawrence’s story revels that it represents the method of how Paul hopes to win his mothers approval. He also wants her affection as well as winning back the family’s luck. Paul’s mother had never loved any of her children so Paul seeks his mothers validation in any manner possible. He questioned his mother about his fathers luck to which his mother responds with “[your] [father] [is] very unlucky (222)”. Paul realizes that this is a w...

Show More
Related

  • Money In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    Once he learns that luck brings money, the very component his mother yearns for, he goes on a mission with his trusty steed. He becomes violent hitting his wooden rocking horse with a whip and commands it, "'Now, take me to where there is luck! Now take me!'" (Lawerence 412). His obsession causes him to act out of character because the one items he cherishes has to endure the displaced frustration he has toward Hester. This shows how much he wants his mother to acknowledge his existence in her life. His goal in finding luck is to also find money in anticipation that Hester's search will cease forcing all of her attention on him. Paul not only loses his temperament but his childhood as well. He becomes preoccupied with gambling when it should be superheroes and sports. He rocks on his horse compulsively until he falls ill screaming out the winning horse's name: "'Malabar! It's Malabar!'" (Lawerence 412). As his prediction comes true, Hester collects the prize money, and Paul believes he has obtained the unobtainable. He hunts for her acceptance one last time asking, "'Over eighty thousand pounds! I call that lucky, don't you mother?'" (Lawerence 422). Hester replies, "'No, you never did'" (422), and he dies later that night without ever knowing his worth. She is unable to give him his dying wish of her

    Read More

  • Shirley Jackson's Symbolism in The Lottery

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    The setting of the story helps to magnify its impact on the reader because it is set in a small town similar to the one many of us may know of, and that is symbolic of everything that we consider to be right in America. The story begins on a wonderful summer day in a small town. The author describes the day as very joyful but strikes a contrast between the surroundings of the town and the atmosphere of the people gathered in the square. The atmosphere is sober, where the adults ?stood together, away from the stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather then laughed."(268) This, in just the third paragraph, is a indication through symbolism of the townsfolk?s sober mood that something was amiss. The setting for the lottery also takes place in the same place as the square dances, the teen-age club, and the Halloween program.(268) This unifies our lives with those of the story sense we can relate to those types of events, and is symbolic in showing that even though this dastardly deed happens here that it is still the main place of celebration. Showing how easy it is for us, as human beings, to clean our conscientious by going back to a place that, on June 27, is a place of death and make it a place of delight.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Jackson's The Lottery

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Symbols can be used to convey a special meaning to the reader by association, especially when a material object is used to represent something abstract. Throughout the years, American writers have been using their works as a way to describe society to their broad audiences. As time periods change, writers as well as readers change their view about society. Several factors affect how readers view society in a piece of literature. To get a better understanding of the society expressed in a piece of literature, one must consider not only the time period in which the work was written, but also the life of the author, the style in which the work was written, and criticism of the piece. In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the society is demonstrated as unchangeable due to the underlying fear and evil of human nature. By using, main types of symbols represented in this story, are characters' names and objects.

    Read More

  • The Rocking Horse Winner and The Lottery

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    In both “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the authors take critical aim at two staples of mainstream values, materialism and tradition respectively. Both authors approach these themes through several different literary devices such as personification and symbolism; however, it is the authors' use of characterization that most develop their themes. We'll be taking a look at the parallel passages in the stories that advance their themes particularly when those passages involve both of the authors' subtle character descriptions, and why this method of character development is so powerful in conveying the authors' messages.

    Read More

  • Snow Flower Relationships

    2204 Words  | 5 Pages

    Even though the brother and sister value money differently in “Love”, at the end of the day, the relationship the two have with each other is more important that the money. The theme of love is portrayed through the brother in the story. It is apparent that he loves and cares for his sister very much. In the opening of the piece, it states, “The wanting to give is only learned through the learning to love” (243) and this statement is personified though the brother. He dreamed of finally getting the gold ring at the Flying Horses but when he finally gets it, he gives it up. He loves his sister and valued her happiness so much he gave up his own happiness. Early on, the nephew seems selfish because he spends all of his money so quickly. The nephew’s display of love and kindness at the end proves how mature this boy actually is. The boy was able to understand love in a very mature way and values love over money. In the end, the two realize that money doesn’t buy or prove happiness or love. It is our actions that prove

    Read More

  • Analysis of The Rocking Horse Winner

    1498 Words  | 3 Pages

    Certain individuals have a drive that can lead them to achieve what they desire most. In the Short story “The Rocking Horse Winner”, D.H Lawrence showcases this through character motivation and symbolism. He further this using pursuit of desire, and how if you take it to a certain extent it can result in tragedy if the individual chooses not to conform. Paul wants to please his mother because his mother feels that there family has no luck, but Paul proclaims that he is lucky. Paul suddenly becomes consumed with this sudden spree of good luck and feels this is the only way he will be able to gain to the affection of his mother. D.H Lawrence reveals that Paul has a certain flaw that turns him to believe that the only way he will be able to gain his mothers love and affection is by winning money in the horse races. He leads this pursuit of desire to the standards he thought he wanted to, but not to the standards that would have achieved what he wanted, which leads to his down fall. When individuals desire love from another, they may choose to conform their beliefs and actions to that person. At first they may feel successful, however if they sacrifice everything, in pursuing this kind of goal, they may pay a heavy price instead of gaining there hearts desire.

    Read More

  • Money for Love in The Rocking Horse Winner

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    This rocking horse happens to be a modern age toy with regular metal springs from back in. earlier times, a product of the modern "working man," age given at the most. material for the holidays-Christmas. The symbol of the horse has traditionally been as a transport for the soul and often regarded as an omen of death. When Paul confused luck with luck, his mother explained that "luck is what.

    Read More

  • Unmasking Reality: A Deep Dive into Jackson's 'The Lottery'

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many remember the actions throughout the story but never really think about the symbols. The box that the villagers were drawing from was old and black. This represented their tradition of having the lottery. The box was falling apart and faded black from how old it was. The box is a symbol to their loyalty to the tradition. They all had to know what they were doing was wrong. Yet they came back every year willingly. Another Symbol that is used is the two main characters, Mr. and Mrs. Graves. Thier last names being “graves” hints at the end of the story but rarely anyone pays attention to it. This symbolises how we are warned about our economy and the risks of our “winnings” all the time but never pay any attention to it. We always have our eyes on the prize rather than what could come of it. I believe that Jackson did not mean to always look at the negative in life but be more aware of the real world in front of us and the predicaments we are faced with everyday that goes unacknowledged. In the beginning of the story the boys piled up a bunch of stones which seemed to have irrelevance until the end of the story where they were put to use. Theses stones represent how we are fighting against each other instead of helping each other. Hurting each other just for money or power instead of helping each other. We are fighting ourselves instead of seeing what the true issues

    Read More

  • Examining Greed in The Rocking Horse Winner

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    In "The Rocking Horse Winner" D. H. Lawrence tells us about the traumatic downfall of an upper middle class family struggling to maintain appearances through habitual overspending. Both the parents with common jobs and "expensive tastes" (pg.646) exploit all their resources to give their family the best; however, it was only to retain their high status in the society. "The Rocking Horse Winner" depicts a common demon we all face; greed, society's need for more possessions and money often drives people to do drastic things.The magnificently decorated house had always been haunted by the unspoken phrase, "there must be more money" (pg.646). "Nobody said it aloud. Just as no one says: We are breathing! In spite of the fact that breath is coming and going all the time." (pg.647) "They heard it at Christmas, when the expensive and splendid toys filled the nursery. Behind the shinning modern rocking-horse, behind the smart dolls house, a voice would start whispering: There must be more money!"(pg.646).The house cried with pain as it pitie...

    Read More

  • The Rocking-Horse Winner, Theme Analysis

    689 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story "The Rocking-Horse Winner" written by D. H. Lawrence tells of a young boy named Paul who tries to win his mother's affection by giving her that which she seems to want more than anything else, MONEY. The house in which the family lives is haunted by a voice that speaks the phrase, "There must be more money!" Everyone in the house can hear the voice but nobody ever acknowledges it. Paul and the family gardener, Bassett, begin to talk about horse races one day and they soon begin to bet on them. Paul's uncle, Oscar, learns of this and becomes a partner with Paul and Bassett. They are quite successful in their endeavor, because Paul is the one who chooses the horses that they bet on. They always seem to win. He goes about finding the winner by riding his rocking horse until the name of the winning horse becomes clear in his head. This method has never the team. Paul decides to give his mother, Hester, 5,000 pounds of his winnings, which is to be paid out one thousand pounds at a time on her birthday for the next five years. While Paul was trying to figure out the winner of the Derby, his mother went to check on him because she had heard a strange noise coming from his room. She opened the door and saw Paul rocking his horse like a madman. Paul screamed, "It's Malabar! It's Malabar!" and then collapsed onto the floor. Paul died a few nights later. This is obviously a story about family and the feelings of shame that we acquire from our parents that could have disastrous consequences for the whole family as was the case with Paul's. We will look at Paul's mother's obsession with money, Paul's plan to please his mother, and the price the family paid for wanting more money.

    Read More

  • Jealousy In The Cask Of Amontillado

    1377 Words  | 3 Pages

    The way jealousy is portrayed throughout this story is through greed as the characters all agree, “Although they lived in style, they felt always an anxiety in the house. There was never enough money” (Lawrence 1223). As a whole, the lack of money causes the entire family to be jealous of other families and ultimately cause unexpected actions. For instance, when Oscar discovers his nephew always gambles and wins on horse races, he is skeptical of the idea of gambling at first, but eventually the narrator states, “He became a partner. And when the Leger was coming on, Paul was sure about Lively Spark, which was quite an inconsiderable horse…Paul had made ten thousand…Even Oscar Cresswell had cleared two thousand” (1230). This explains how Oscar’s covetousness for money causes his mindset to change for not punishing his nephew for deliberately sneaking out to gamble, continues to let him do so, and begins to participate in this outrageous activity himself. This imparts readers that being desirous can cause irresponsibly, but more importantly, cause a mental mindset to change. In the same way, Paul is resentful of the absence of money in the family, riding his magic rocking horse for as long as humanly possible. One day, he is trying to discern the next winner to the race after losing when his mom sees him yelling, “’It’s

    Read More

  • The Rocking Horse

    1356 Words  | 3 Pages

    The second obvious moral to The Rocking Horse Winner is that often one does not realize what they have and how they we feel about it until it is gone. Early on within the story we learned that Paul’s mother had attractive, bonny children. Yet, “when her children were present she always felt the center of heart go hard”. She knew “that there was a place in the center of her heart where she could not feel love for anybody, not even her children”. Later on in the story, the mother goes on to show her emotions and love when she has “seizures of uneasiness” about Paul and finds him fiercely riding his rocking horse into unconsciousness and finally plumaging to his death. When she is presented with losing her child, she realizes what she had, a little too late. (Lawrence p.980, 988)

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Rocking-Horse Winner

    962 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hester, Paul’s rocking horse and the whispering of the house represent greed, selfishness, and love. They also reveal the character’s real feelings and thoughts of neglect, detachment, greed and selfishness. These symbols convey a theme and make the characters in the short story. The Rocking-Horse Winner is a tragic story where Paul dies trying to gain his mother’s love and compassion. The mother was just interested in the money he was winning in the derbies. The story conveys a major them of materialism and shapes the characters through the symbols.

    Read More

  • The Rocking Horse Winner Oedipus Complex Analysis

    636 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The Rocking Horse Winner” is a story that discusses a young boy, named Paul, and his family who feel they never have enough money. The family has insufficient funds, but when Paul provides the mother with money, she only desires further. This constant yearning causes the boy to feel the desperate and the interminable need to provide for his family. He in a sense almost hungers to replace his father and become the sole provider. Through trying to please his mother, the young boy Paul meets his demise. This tragic conclusion illustrates the lengths Paul will go in order to replace his father and become the provider for his mother. This story displays elements of an Oedipus complex, because of Paul’s desires to replace his father and the effects of insatiable greed, eventually resulting in his premature mortality.

    Read More

  • greed leads to disaster

    1028 Words  | 3 Pages

    Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days leading up to Christmas. Consumers stand in line hours if not days before the doors open. The sales begin in the early hours of the morning; typically around 5 a.m. Shoppers save hundreds of dollars on all of the latest gadgets and accessories. But, the insane deals come with a catch. Several customers and employees end up bruised, injured, and even killed during the event. Greed for the lowest price during the holiday season has led to countless fights for a discounted item. Greed is a main theme expressed throughout The Hobbit written by J.R.R Tolkien

    Read More

More about Societies craving of fortune always ends in misfortune

Open Document