The Rocking-Horse Winner

D. H. Lawrence wrote a short story titled The Rocking-Horse Winner. A young middle-class Englishwoman who had no luck is described in the story. While appearing to be successful she is tormented by feelings of failure because her husband is a miser and she doesnt make as much money as she would want as a commercial artist. The familys expenses surpass its income and there is an unspoken sense of financial uneasiness throughout the home. Paul one of her sons and his two sisters feel her anxiousness and they even claim to hear the home whisper There must be more money to them. Paul shares with his uncle Oscar Cresswell the story of his gardener Bassett and their horse racing wagers. He has been using his pocket money to place wagers and he has won and saved $320. When he predicts a winner for a forthcoming race the horses he names frequently succeed sometimes against incredible odds. Both Bassett and Uncle Oscar make significant bets on the horses Paul specifies. After winning more Paul and Oscar plan to give the mother a $5000 gift but the money just allows her to spend more. Paul tries harder than ever to be fortunate after being dissatisfied. Paul is determined to find out who will win as the Derby draws near. His mother comes home from a party because she is worried about his health and learns his secret. In order to get there or enter a clairvoyant condition where he can be certain of the winners name he has been spending hours riding his rocking horse sometimes all night. Pauls condition worsens during the Derby day. Bassett has placed Pauls wager on Malabar at a 14 to 1 odds after receiving information from Cresswell. Bassett tells Paul that he now has 80000 pounds and Paul tells his mother: I never said to you mother that I would be totally certain of something if I could ride my horse and get there. Did I ever tell you mum? Im blessed! No he never did according to his mother. But poor devil poor devil hes best gone