The irony of the boy's actions increasing the whispers in "The Rocking-Horse Winner" reveals the story's theme that the pursuit of wealth only intensifies greed and dissatisfaction. As the boy seeks to gain more money, the whispers grow louder, symbolizing the insatiable nature of material desire. This ultimately leads to tragic consequences, highlighting the futility and destructiveness of such pursuits.

The "voice" in "The Rocking-Horse Winner" symbolizes the family's relentless financial anxiety, manifesting as whispers of "There must be more money." This voice represents the unspoken pressure on Paul to alleviate the family's monetary troubles. When Paul's mother receives 5,000 pounds, the voice goes "mad" because her insatiable greed intensifies, demanding even more money. This highlights the destructive nature of materialism and perpetual dissatisfaction.

The boy's furious riding on the rocking horse symbolizes the relentless pursuit of material wealth, reflecting the futility and destructiveness of materialism. Paul's intense focus and desperation mirror the endless greed that drives individuals to seek more money, often at the expense of meaningful life experiences. His tragic death from exhaustion underscores the emptiness of such pursuits, as the rocking horse, like materialism, ultimately takes him nowhere, symbolizing the cycle of unfulfilled desires.

Hester's ambition for her son is that he becomes a success in the world, which she believes can only be accomplished if he acquires wealth. She knows that Paul's natural inclination is to follow in his father's footsteps, but she sees this as a dead end job with no future. He need only look around him at their shack and the shabby clothes they wear to see his fate. Paul must do something different. But what? Hester's answer lies in a place where she feels right at home: the racetrack. As someone who has lost so many battles in life, Hester finds comfort in gambling, since luck always seems to be on her side when it comes to games of chance.

The passage reveals that Paul's mother is conflicted and emotionally distant. She experiences anxiety over her son but suppresses it due to her belief in "common-sense," which she equates with maintaining appearances. Her actions suggest a lack of genuine maternal concern, as she prioritizes social status and money over her son's well-being. Her reluctance to intrude on Paul's privacy further illustrates her detachment and misunderstanding of her maternal role.

But in fact, the adult characters are not at all responsible because they want Paul to keep betting on the horses. They want to maintain their enjoyment of gambling, but also they want him to use his "gift" for their benefit.

Bassett's motivation for acquiring money is a normal, rational desire to get ahead financially in the world; Uncle Oscar's motivation is frenzy and greed.

Paul's misunderstanding of "filthy lucre" as "filthy lucker" in "The Rocking-Horse Winner" highlights his mother's obsession with wealth. She equates luck with having money, believing it's better to be lucky than rich because luck ensures continuous wealth. This mindset reveals her insatiable greed, impacting Paul, who strives to gain luck to please her. Tragically, his efforts lead to his death, ironically fulfilling her desires but at a devastating cost.

Paul's confusion about luck and its relationship to money stems from his mother's definition. She equates luck with financial success, implying that being lucky means having money. This perspective perplexes Paul, leading him to obsessively seek luck through his rocking-horse, hoping it will bring the wealth his family desperately desires.

Paul responds to the house's whispers by obsessively riding his rocking horse to predict winning horses in races, believing this will change his family's luck. His intense efforts stem from a desire to gain his mother's approval and alleviate their financial troubles, ultimately leading to his tragic downfall.