Discord Between Love and Avarice Anonymous 12th Grade

The short story The Rocking Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence was first published in 1926, and it’s a story about money, success, and luck. It focuses on Paul, a young boy who rides his rocking horse until a frenzied state of mind and succeeds in predicting the names of horses that win in major races. Paul wants to win money for his mother Hester who is materialistic in the hopes of earning her love. He manages to win large sums of money together with his Uncle Oscar with the help of the rocking horse. Towards the end, while riding his horse, Paul unfortunately collapses and dies after winning a fortune on his last bet. The Rocking Horse Winner has several themes but the most recurring ones are materialism and greed. It is a tragic story about the damaging effects of greed and materialism, the symbolism that happiness and love are destroyed by money. Lawrence demonstrates the lack of love where there is materialism, and that material things and riches cannot attain happiness. Love and contentment have to emanate from within as highlighted by Paul’s kindness and not from materialism as demonstrated by Hester’s greed. Lawrence illustrates that materialism and love are incompatible and cannot coexist in a family, and one has to make...