A Critical Analysis of "The Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence and "The Destructors" by Graham Greene
In both stories, "The Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence and "The Destructors" by Graham Greene we see the common theme of
wanting to be envied by others because of what we have or can do. The need to do better, have prestige and more power than anyone else is a
very common human conflict that is dealt with on all levels of humanity. The emotional environment that man grows and develops in plays
a factor in how he approaches everyday life.
Humanity is always trying to prove to others what they have is better than anyone elses. Paul's mother, Hester, in "The Rocking-Horse
Winner" spends a lot of time pretending to have what others want but never feels like she truly does that. She shows off her home, her servants
and even puts an outward appearance of loving her children even though behind doors she does not show them any love. It is easy to see Hester
as the antagonist that causes the ultimate failure of her son. The irony of the situation though, is that while Hester is trying to prove to the world
how successful she is, her son is trying to prove to her how successful he can be and so that she will love him. Paul spends hours riding his
rocking horse to come up with the winning horse so that he can give his mother what he thinks she needs to be happy, money. He was thinking
of gaining her happiness and love through materialistic ways because he thought that money would give the luck, love, happiness and power that
she wanted.
Trevor in "The Destructors" came up with a new idea to show his intelligence and power over the group which ended up making him the
leader ...
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...omeone who, in
seeking acceptance, has gone to great lengths to achieve it. The mother in "The Rocking-Horse Winner" was materialistic in gaining her
acceptance while the gang in "The Destructors" used their destructive nature to seek out their fame. There is just one more small
common thread that could be easily overlooked in the beginning of each story and that is the mother who thought that she was better than the
neighbors. We can see the obvious affect it had on Paul, but was there also a hint of that in Trevor's actions? Trevor's mother "considered
herself better than the neighbors" and Paul's mother " felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood." We are said to be a product of
our environment and both of these boys came from environments that left them feeling like they had something to prove to get ahead of the next
man.
In the beginning of the written story the author reveals Hester to be a cold-hearted mother. "She had bonny children, yet she felt they had been thrust upon her, and she could not love them"(75). In public she is thought of as the perfect mother, but in private she and her children know her true feelings. "Everyone else said of her: 'She is such a good mother. She adores her children.' Only she herself, and her children themselves, knew it was not so. They read it in each other's eyes"(75). Heste...
One of Hester’s greatest qualities is her unrelenting selflessness. Despite her constant mental anguish due to her sin, the constant stares and rude comments, and the
In fact, now many women revere her as a wise counselor and go to her seeking advice. Hester tells them that she has come to believe that the world is still growing and developing, and someday it will be ready to accept a new more equal relationship between men and women. However, despite her renewed optimism and the people’s apparent forgiveness for her transgressions, Hester still sees herself as “a woman stained with sin, bowed down with shame, or even burdened with a life-long sorrow” (232-233.36-2). In her youth, she sometimes envisioned herself as one who could usher in the newer and more accepting age, but she now believes that she is too tainted to play such a role and that the task must instead be left to a woman who could be “a medium of joy” and exemplify “sacred love” (233.4-5). In this final description of Hester, we don’t see any trace of the vanity she exhibited when she was young. Her opinion of herself has become much more humble and self-deprecating, and it is clear that she has matured greatly since the opening of the
This quote shows how she thinks that she was used as a trophy and as a
Hester showed extreme strength and courage when she takes the child away. A deep impression of her courage is felt when her face was described. The book said she had a "burning blush and ahaughty smile." This can alsoshow her as being rebelliousbecause most perople wouldn't raise their head, much less with a haughty smile. The glance she gave the crowd was what put it over the top. She was being bold and it was like she was saying, "Look you can't punish me anymore I've served my time." Though her crime was very wrong, admiration is felt due to her braveness. Then the people saw her A and how elaborately it was decorated.
Hester feels the hatred that the people of the village have put upon her. At the beginning of the book she walks with "natural dignity and force of character" towards the scaffold as she holds her sin, the baby. She takes her punishment with humility; and does not act out against the people of the village by becoming a witch or creating havoc in the town. Hester works in her little hit making clothes for the rich and the poor. She refuses to hide her letter because she refuses to let it define her, “the scarlet letter has not done its office.” Gradually throughout the book Hester turns cold, suicidal and
Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9th ed. Vol. A. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. Print
She really tried to redeem herself ever since the entire town realized she had cheated on her husband. "Hush, Hester, hush!...The law was broke! - the sin here so awfully revealed! - let these alone be in thy thoughts! I fear! I fear! It may be that, when we forgot our God, - when we violated our reverence each for the other's soul, - it was thenceforth vain to hope that we could meet hereafter, in an everlasting and pure reunion." (233). In the end her experience made her and Pearl’s life truly extraordinary and completely changed her outlook on life, this caused her to be helping the poor by the end of the story. "Hester comforted and counseled them as best she might. She assured them, too, of her firm belief, that, at some brighter period, when the world should have grown ripe for it, in Heaven's own time, a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness." (239). After returning from Europe she really helped to give the poor sustenance and was a completely changed person. Hester’s situation really seemed to be pretty bad at first but after getting used to being labeled as a bad person with the letter “A” on her chest she really grew out of it and became a good person who helps the community
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
...n high school and she was striving for big goals, working hard to achieve them, and overcoming countless obstacles. Even when her father stole that piggy bank money she did not give up. Her purpose in life helped transfer her into adulthood. Without this determination and sacrifice, seceding into a successful adult would have been much more challenging.
...f their family (Jackson 867). In everyday life, we posses the same selfish attitude portrayed in the story. What is one of a child’s favorite words? It’s "mine!" We constantly say well "it’s better you than me" and "it’s every man for himself." It’s pretty scary _when you actually think about it, because you realize we really are that selfish.
Klinkowitz, Jerome and Patricia B Wallace. The Norton Anthology of Americal Literature. Seventh. Vol. Volume D. New York City: Norton, 2007, 2003, 1998, 1994, 1989, 1985, 1979. 5 vols.
her life. She longed to live an independent life, but struggled to earn a living wage with the jobs she
Hester was very trustworthy, she kept in secrets that could have possibly changed her and her daughter
Hester, Paul’s rocking horse and the whispering of the house represent greed, selfishness, and love. They also reveal the character’s real feelings and thoughts of neglect, detachment, greed and selfishness. These symbols convey a theme and make the characters in the short story. The Rocking-Horse Winner is a tragic story where Paul dies trying to gain his mother’s love and compassion. The mother was just interested in the money he was winning in the derbies. The story conveys a major them of materialism and shapes the characters through the symbols.