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Symbolism In The Rocking Horse Winner

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Fortune is the enemy of human morality. If not careful, a person who places complete trust in luck can lose focus on the important things in life. This idea that our lives are governed by an uncontrollable force consumes us in ways that most people do not come to terms with. D.H. Lawrence uses compelling imagery in the Rocking-Horse Winner to create an insight of dark fortune. He accomplishes this through the relationship of the mother and her children, the use of the rocking horse, and the conflict of luck within Paul. Lawrence continually emphasizes the non-existent relationship between the mother and her children. He begins by telling us that the children had been “thrust upon her, and she could not love them”. This sets the tone for the rest of the story; a desire for good fortune makes the children seem like underappreciated burdens. Several times the mother says things to the children with “bitterness in her voice” as if they inconvenience her. Only the mother and her children know of the loveless “hard little place” in the mother’s heart. “They read it in each other’s eyes”. The simple act of leaving the apathy unspoken creates a sense of despair for both parties. The mother fills this gap in their lives by becoming obsessed with money and blaming all of their misery on bad luck. In turn, the children follow her example and become consumed by this belief as well. The desire is so great that the “house came to be haunted by the unspoken phrase: there must be more

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