The Rocking-Horse Winner Group at eNotes

The irony of the statement is that the uncle implies Paul is better off...

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 12:45:36 PST

The irony of the statement is that the uncle implies Paul is better off dead. The uncle realized Paul was mad and believes that the boy has been released from his agony. This reinforces the theme of the story about the destructive power of materialism. His mother may now have a lot of money, but Paul is in a better place where he can ride his rocking horse forever and not have to worry about his mother's incessant need for money.

Where's the irony in the last statment made to Hester by her brother in...

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 11:20:40 PST

Where's the irony in the last statment made to Hester by her brother in "The Rockin-Horse Winner"?

Paul's horse is the symbol for masturbation and release as he rides 'to...

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:23:19 PST

Paul's horse is the symbol for masturbation and release as he rides 'to get there.' He lusts for the affection of his mother and in his doomed attempt to consolidate it, he fails as all his dreams come crashing down around him.

The rocking-horse symbolizes several closely linked themes in this...

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:37:38 PST

The rocking-horse symbolizes several closely linked themes in this story. First, it symbolizes how far the economic fears of the family reach. A children's play area should be free of such fears, but they reach even into the place where the horse is. Second, it shows how ambition does not ever stop. Like the rocking-horse, every forward rock/step/motion is matched by a backward one. Think of how the house is haunted: " There must be...

What does the rocking-horse symbolize in "The Rocking-Horse...

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:06:38 PST

What does the rocking-horse symbolize in "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

1. Luck is chance, in my eyes, and one has to be in the right place at...

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 21:14:15 PST

1. Luck is chance, in my eyes, and one has to be in the right place at the right time, etc., for it to happen. Luck, to me, happens when you may not deserve it or expect it, whether it is bad luck or good luck.2. The eyes are the windows to the soul, as the saying goes. They can often reveal if people are telling the truth or lying, what kind of mood they are in at a given time, and if they are sick/ill.

Luck & eyes

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 12:25:13 PST

1.What is your point of view on "luck" in the story? what do you think it really means?

2. What do you think is the importance of the constant references to eyes?

Paul attempts to change his family's luck by riding the rocking horse so...

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 11:41:15 PST

Paul attempts to change his family's luck by riding the rocking horse so that he can make them wealthy. The house is constantly whispering to Paul, "More money, more money...There must be more money." Lawrence uses auditory (sound) imagery to heighten the sense of the dramatic, pushing Paul to ride.The reader discovers that Paul can intuitively guess the name of the real horse race winners as he rides, so betting becomes the way the...

Both stories certainly show the dangers of conformity. In "The...

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 10:30:16 PST

Both stories certainly show the dangers of conformity. In "The Rocking-Horse Winner," the mother feels that "she felt she must cover up some fault," and even though there's never any particular person forcing her to try and prove her worth by having more, she feels that nebulous need. She wants the "discreet servants" and to be seen as part of the upper class, and her son, understanding his mother's needs,...

In "The Rocking-Horse Winner," how does Paul try to change his...

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 09:45:51 PST

In "The Rocking-Horse Winner," how does Paul try to change his family's luck and how is he affected by the house's whispers?

I need help to compare and contrast the stories "The Rocking-Horse...

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 22:12:47 PST

I need help to compare and contrast the stories "The Rocking-Horse Winner" and "The Lottery."

A motif is a recurring theme or element in a piece of literature...

Thu, 8 May 2008 14:57:39 PST

A motif is a recurring theme or element in a piece of literature (www.dictionary.com). There are several motifs in "The Rocking-Horse Winner": Oedipus complex, responsibility, and generosity and greed (www.enotes.com). Briefly, Paul has taken the place of the father by providing money to his mother through his horse racing predictions; also, he has taken on the role of parent through responsibility for providing for them...

I agree with Linda-Allen. As a mother myself, I find the mother the...

Sat, 3 May 2008 21:38:57 PST

I agree with Linda-Allen. As a mother myself, I find the mother the most interesting, yet deplorable, character. I cannot imagine treating my boys the way she treated Paul. She is a selfish, self-absorbed person who doesn't consider Pauls' wants and needs. This bothers me immensely each time I read the story.

What are all the motifs in "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:00:07 PST

What are all the motifs in "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

This question is very subjective, meaning that it is asking for your...

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:01:50 PST

This question is very subjective, meaning that it is asking for your opinion. Only you can answer a question like this because only you know how you feel and what you think. I can give you my opinion, but it won't help you at all: It will be what I think and why I think that way.Think about each of the characters. Is there one that whose behavior or attitude puzzle you? If you could put yourself into the story, is there someone you'd really...

Most Interesting Character

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:17:26 PST

Which character do you find most interesting? Why?

There are certainly many approaches that could be taken with that as a...

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:07:29 PST

There are certainly many approaches that could be taken with that as a topic. Discussing the aspects that the mother is dissatisfied with any amount she receives is one such aspect. Instead of finding relief with her monthly windfall, she instead wants it all. Instead of taking care of the debts she already has, she buys new things.You could also consider that her son is trying to buy his mother's love-but the price is too high. He has never...

Write an essay on Materialism in the story, "The Rocking-Horse...

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:34:00 PST

Write an essay on Materialism in the story, "The Rocking-Horse Winner" by D. H. Lawrence?

Paul is a sweet an innocent child who wants to help solve his family's...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:15:57 PST

Paul is a sweet an innocent child who wants to help solve his family's financial problems and hopes to win approval and love from his cold and distant mother. He becomes fixated and anxious at providing more and more money for his insatiable mother, without realizing he is just a child and should not be responsible for such things.Hester is Paul's mother, who does not care for anything but money. She not only wants a lot of money, she is...

Greed is a major theme of this story. Paul is a selfless boy wanting...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:59:28 PST

Greed is a major theme of this story. Paul is a selfless boy wanting to help his family. His mother is a greedy and selfish woman, wanting not to make the family comfortable, but to buy pretty things. Her greed causes her to lie and sneak, hiding what should be shared from her husband and the rest of the family. Lawrence not only demonstrates the negative effects of her greed - Paul's death and the conflict within the family - but he...