D. H. Lawrences 'The Rocking-Horse Winner'

Modern fairy stories are often very easily identified, this is not the case for D.H Lawrences "The Rocking-Horse Winner". This short story shares some of the defining characteristics with commonly identified whimsical tales. The dark tone of this tale can divert attention from its mystical core, but when analyzed "The Rocking-Horse Winner" is revealed as a true modern fairy story.
Enchanting, magical objects are imperative elements in fairy stories and as such there are two magical objects presented in this fairy story. A house capable of whispering to its residents, reinforcing the crippling sense of a greater cause of their dismay, both with what it communicates and its sheer presence. The repetitiveness of what the house is communicating is a common motif in fairy tales. The second mystical object is the rocking-horse, it makes itself a necessity as the boy cannot be lucky without it. In classic fairy story language he commands it to take him to where luck is. The rocking-horses magic is predicting the future, and

They defy all odds and with their charm, the reader can not help but choose to root for them. "The Rocking-Horse Winner" presents Paul, a young boy with telling eyes and a mission he will peruse no matter the consequences. After his mother laughed bitterly at the thought of her son being lucky, he was impelled to become so, just as other fairy story heroes set off to prove their naysayers wrong. Learning from his magical house that his families lack of money is their curse and his mothers explanation that luck must be the cure, he sets off to find what will save his mother and damsel in distress. Many heroes in fairy stories are challenged with impossible tasks. This stories young boy is no different, Paul knows from the first time he gives his mother money that she will never be satisfied, yet he continues to try, as fairy story heroes