Theme Of Friendship In D. H. Lawrence's Wake

Everyone has close and distant friendships throughout their lifetime. There are friends who are loyal and bring out the best in each other. Likewise, there are friends that are dishonest and talk poorly behind each other’s back. Friendship is built on the foundation of trust; if there is no trust, the relationship will crumble. In a friendship, there must be a bond between both individuals. However, there are also friendships that can potentially be toxic to both individuals and must be ended. Friendships can be hard to maintain at times, but when friendships are strong, they can last a lifetime. The story Wake by Lisa McMann and Rocking Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence both explore the theme of friendship.

            The novel Wake by Lisa

McMann is about a teenager named Janie that has a special ability of seeing people’s dreams. Whenever someone near her falls asleep, she falls asleep as well. The conflict with Janie’s power is that she is unable to help the person dreaming concur their fear. Janie begins to date a boy named Caleb that is involved with dealing drugs. Later Janie finds out that Caleb is not actually a drug dealer, but an undercover cop, which is a relief to Janie.  Miss Stubin, Janie’s caregiver/friend, helps Janie to learn that she is a dream catcher and can help people overcome their nightmares. “You have the power of a dream catcher” (McMann 146). Caleb, along with other students and parents become charged with narcotics charges and are soon imprisoned. Janie must use her powers on a drug lord to see where he hid the drugs.
Rocking-Horse Winner tells the story of a young boy named Paul that has a special skill that allows him to sit on a rocking horse and predict the winning horse in a race. "I only know the winner," that’s Daffodil.” (Lawrence 10). Thought out the short story Paul tries to get approval and friendship from his mother because his mother only likes money. Paul uses his Uncle Oscar and a gardener, Bassett money in order to bet on a horse. Paul sits on the rocking horse, sometimes for hours until a name pops into his head, then Uncle Oscar and Bassett places a bet on the horse. Every time Paul uses the rocking horse to predict the winning horse he dies a little. The last time Paul uses the rocking horse he spends hours it until the name pops into his head. After, Paul gets every ill and right before Paul dies, he tells his mother about his ability “I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I’m absolutely sure – oh absolutely (Lawrence 16)! On the last bet they win on a fourteen to one bet and win eighty thousand pounds.
Between both books, they both have fairly similar ideas and concepts. Both books share the same characteristics of the main characters by both have supernatural powers. In the novel Wake Janie can see into people’s dreams and can help them overcome their fears and nightmares. In the short story Rocking-Horse Winner Paul is able to predict which horse will win the next race. Even though both character's powers are fairly different they both have powers that no one else has. Also both stories have only few but large conflicts. Wake has a major conflict within the beginning through the middle of the book where Janie cannot able to control/ use her powers fully. Another conflict is that Janie’s friends have been imprisoned and she has to find where the drug dealer is keeping all the drugs. Rocking-Horse Winner has a large conflict of Paul trying to get his mother to love him by winning her money. Also Every time he uses his powers he dies a little which ultimately leads to his death. In both stories have friendships that they need in order to overcome conflicts and become successful.
Friendship in the novel Wake are throughout the whole story. Without the friendships that Janie makes, Janie wouldn't be as strong and bold as she is at the end of the book. The first ever true friend that Janie has is Carrie. Carrie is caring, trustworthy, and brings out the best in Janie. They instantly connect and have similar backgrounds and home lives. When Janie is capable of helping people in their dreams, she wants to help Carries nightmare that haunts her. It’s the same dream over and over of Carrie’s brother drowning and Carrie cannot do nothing about it. Janie helps Carrie save her brother in her dream and helps Carrie overcome her nightmare. After this experience Janie and Carrie get even closer of friends and seems as if their friendship is unbreakable. Janie’s friendship with Miss Stubin, helped Janie finally control and use her powers. Miss Stubin is a sage old woman that gives advice to Janie and allows Janie to become a true dream catcher. The friendship between these two also helps Janie become closer with Carrie and allow Janie to find the drugs at the end. The last friendship with Janie that is important is Caleb. Caleb and Janie at first knew each other and saw each other at school but didn't talk that much. After a school field trip they become close and bond. Plus he helps her with overcoming the conflict at the end with finding the drugs and busting the drug lord. Without friendship Janie wouldn't be where she is at the end of the book.
Rocking-Horse Winner has only a few friendships but they are quite important. The only friendships that are introduced are the ones with Uncle Oscar and Bassett. Paul uses these friendships to be able to bet on horses and make money. These are only the only friends that Paul has in the whole story. In Rocking-Horse Winner everything Paul does is to try to become friends with his mother and the only way to get to his mother is through money. The reason Paul sits on the rocking horse to see who will win the race is to win money for his mother. "There must be more money! There must be more money” (Lawrence 12)! This quote states that all Paul’s mother wants is more money and is very greedy. Paul even proves that he will die for his mother's friendship and love. Paul has important friendships that help him get to his ultimate goal of having the friendship of his mother.
Although both books share the same theme there are some differences between them.

The novel Wake uses the theme more as a focus on using friendship to concur conflict and reach the goal. For example Janie’s friend Miss Stubin helps Janie understand her powers which leads her to beat the conflict at the end of the book. Also her friends Caleb and Carrie help her through out the book by being with her and supporting her. In the short story Rocking-Horse Winner, the theme friendship is more of a goal and something that he wants. Of course Paul has friends that help him though the story, but he only wants the friendship with his mother. The main difference is Wake has friendships and Rocking-Horse Winner ultimate goal is friendship. Another difference is the types of friendships in both stories. In Wake the friendships are more used as support and helpful and in Rocking-Horse Winner are used more as connections. Wake has friends that help Janie discover who she is and help her through the end. Rocking-Horse Winner Paul uses his friendships more as connections by having Uncle Oscar and Bassett use their money in order to win money for his mother. Even thought both stories still have similar themes they are different is some

ways.
Friendships are something in life that everyone wants and most people have. We use them to our advantages and are always happy when we have them. They can help us with any problems and they can be used to comfort us when we are depressed. Friendships are something is life that humans need and want more of. They are a great way to get through life and something that we utilize. The story Wake by Lisa McMann and Rocking Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence both explore the theme of friendship.