Symbolism in The Racing-Horse Winner

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Symbolism in “The Rocking-Horse Winner”
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H Lawrence is a story that focuses on a young boy who bets on race horses, to a lucky end. The predictions made by Paul are an attempt to earn the appreciation and happiness of his mother who is constantly cribbing about money in the house. All the symbols in the book follows one family’s material needs which are in direct contradiction to the endless wants of the family. Paul sees himself and his horse as the only way source to lead the family out of this poverty stint. The end of the story each part of the story is loaded with undertones and symbolism.
The first depiction of these undertones is clearly visible in the language that is used in the book. The author ensures that the dialogue conveys the feeling and mood of the book to the reader. The whispers in the house are one of the strongest appearances of this heavy symbolism in “The Rocking-Horse Winner.” The words “There must be more money!” are continuously repeated in the book (Lawrence, 2007). They depict the greed and materialism that has become a constant force in the house. The repetition shows how Paul’s mother and her continuous need for money have become such a strong constant in the book. The resonating feeling of gluttony and indulgence is evident in the book. Thus, the whispering in the book portrays the exact feeling that is needed to show the cause of all problems in the book: frustration that has been led on by an insatiable greed.
The names of the characters in the book are heavy in symbolism. Many literary pieces choose names of characters that are in direct tandem to the work of other authors. Thus, while reading the book, an avid reader can draw comparisons between the names and qualities of the two characters with the same name. The first name is that of Paul’s mother Hester. A comparison can be drawn between her and Hester from “Scarlett Letter” (Hawthorne, 2005). This Hester breaks off all the laws set down by society and portrays sexual love in a fashion that was in direct contrast to the puritanical views of society. Thus, this adamant step away from society’s set forms forced her to suffer the consequences that followed. In a similar way, Paul’s mother Hester has an ironic, almost lack of...