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Essay / The ride of his life
Horse racing has always been a magical sport and is nicknamed “the sport of kings”. The excitement and drama have always made new fans flock to the sport. In DH Lawrence’s “The Rocking Horse Winner,” it’s no different. The racetracks and thrill of gambling hypnotize Paul and fuel his obsession with making money for his mother. Throughout "The Rocking Horse Winner", Lawrence uses various literary techniques to satirize society and show how the immense desire for luck and money, useless for true happiness, only leads to the destruction of the individual . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayThe unique style of “The Rocking Horse Winner” is important in revealing the deeper meaning of the story. Throughout the story, fairytale-like elements are juxtaposed with deeper, more realistic elements, which help give the story a deeper meaning. Lawrence does not use character names at the beginning of the novel, which seems to establish the story as a simple story, with a light, fairy-tale tone. However, it is juxtaposed with more realistic elements, like family problems and overwhelming obsessions. Like in fairy tales, the characters in this story are pursuing something they care about. Paul's ability to predict the winner is not realistic and is more likely an element of a fairy tale. His lucky ability, however, is juxtaposed with his inability to please his mother, as he cannot satisfy her desires. Thus, the change in style highlights and intensifies Hester and Paul's obsessions. The story later evolves into a deeper and more complex satirical story, which explores the pursuit of unattainable luck and materialism, as well as the consequences of being completely consumed by an obsession. The main theme present throughout "The Rocking Horse Winner" is the immense desire for money, which manifests itself through different characters. Hester is so obsessed with money that it dominates her thoughts and stifles her ability to love others. She is very concerned with maintaining her social status and continues to spend to ensure that “the style is always maintained” (801). Hester is so greedy that when Paul arranges to give her a thousand pounds a year for five years on her birthday, she speaks to her lawyer and asks to be given a lump sum to pay off her debt. However, when she receives the lump sum, she uses the money to buy more, instead of paying off her debts, pushing the family into more debt. Essentially, the more money Hester receives, the more she wants and the more she needs to stabilize her financial situation. The situation is so serious that the house whispers: “There must be more money!” (801). It is because of Hester's desire for money and Paul's desire to please his mother that he is overwhelmed by the need for more money, which ultimately leads to his disturbing death. Hester has never expressed her love for her son and appears unmoved by Paul's, but will happily take the money he left behind, showing her superficial tendencies. These characters show how the quest for money is a fruitless quest, as it leads to Paul's death and contributes to Hester's inability to feel human emotions, as money is all she feels the need. Lawrence uses juxtaposition throughout "The Rocking Horse Winner" to criticize society and the disjointed family structure, as well as materialism, quite common in his time. Hester and her husband's relationship with their children.