Essay Comparing The Rocking Horse Winner And The Lottery

While “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D. H. Lawrence and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson may seem very different, they share fundamental themes of money, luck, and success that lead to tragic ends for their main characters. While they share this same theme, the tone and disposition of Paul and Tessie Hutchinson differ greatly, revealing varied narrative styles and character motivations. Despite these differences, both present a similar lesson on the value of money and success. Both stories revolve around the desperate pursuit of money, luck, and success. In “The Rocking Horse Winner,” Paul’s mother tells him the importance of luck: “It’s what causes you to have money. If you’re lucky, you have money” (Lawrence, 1926). Paul rides his rocking horse feverishly to divine the winners of horse races and gain success, alleviating his family’s financial woes by betting on the winners.

When Old Man Warner stated, “Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn will be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns” (Jackson, 1948). He was implying the original purpose of the lottery was to prevent starvation. This dark ritual reflects an unsettling belief in the necessity of sacrificing the ‘unlucky’ for communal agricultural success. Tragically, the main characters of each story meet their tragic end. Paul’s obsessive riding leads to his collapse and subsequent death, epitomizing his ultimate sacrifice in his quest to secure his mother’s love through luck and financial gain. Paul’s uncle’s statement to Paul’s mother spells out this sacrifice, “. . . you're eightyodd thousand to the good, and a poor devil of a son to the bad” (Lawrence,