Sign in with Facebook
Berengaria's Reviews > The Rocking Horse Winner
The Rocking Horse Winner (Illustrated)
by
by
Berengaria's review
bookshelves: 2024-reads, british-lit, classics, short-stories-poetry, spooky
Jun 17, 2024
bookshelves: 2024-reads, british-lit, classics, short-stories-poetry, spooky
3.5 stars
short review for busy readers: One of DH Lawrence’s more famous stories. Although the language in the story is very out-dated, families who have social ambitions beyond their means and stress their children over it is not. Can be read as a paranormal tale or one of oblivious parenting.
in detail:
Little Paul’s mother is an unhappy, greedy woman who feels she has tied her cart to an ‘unlucky� man. Unlucky, in that he’s handsome and charming, but not super rich. (In modern terms, she’s upset she isn’t married to a billionaire.)
This constant niggle becomes a subliminal whisper in the house that the children can hear. “There must be more money! There must be more money!�
Just that � beyond the rest of the tale - is an excellent demonstration of how the anxieties and unfulfilled desires of parents are telegraphed unfiltered to children who not only believe them wholeheartedly, but sensitive children often take it upon themselves to remedy the situation by any means open to them.
Such a venture is doomed to fail, as no matter what the child does � and Paul does an incredible amount! � the parent will never be happy nor satisfied. The whispering will never cease and it eventually drives the child into an emotional and psychological abyss.
Whether the rocking horse and Paul’s gift of clairvoyance are real or a metaphor for all the strain and suffering children will go through to relieve a parent they see suffering, is up to the individual reader. I tend to see it as both.
Read with the GR Short Story Club
short review for busy readers: One of DH Lawrence’s more famous stories. Although the language in the story is very out-dated, families who have social ambitions beyond their means and stress their children over it is not. Can be read as a paranormal tale or one of oblivious parenting.
in detail:
Little Paul’s mother is an unhappy, greedy woman who feels she has tied her cart to an ‘unlucky� man. Unlucky, in that he’s handsome and charming, but not super rich. (In modern terms, she’s upset she isn’t married to a billionaire.)
This constant niggle becomes a subliminal whisper in the house that the children can hear. “There must be more money! There must be more money!�
Just that � beyond the rest of the tale - is an excellent demonstration of how the anxieties and unfulfilled desires of parents are telegraphed unfiltered to children who not only believe them wholeheartedly, but sensitive children often take it upon themselves to remedy the situation by any means open to them.
Such a venture is doomed to fail, as no matter what the child does � and Paul does an incredible amount! � the parent will never be happy nor satisfied. The whispering will never cease and it eventually drives the child into an emotional and psychological abyss.
Whether the rocking horse and Paul’s gift of clairvoyance are real or a metaphor for all the strain and suffering children will go through to relieve a parent they see suffering, is up to the individual reader. I tend to see it as both.
Read with the GR Short Story Club
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
The Rocking Horse Winner.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
June 15, 2024
–
Started Reading
June 15, 2024
– Shelved
June 17, 2024
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Debbie Y
(new)
Jun 17, 2024 11:06PM
And just like that, the child ends up growing to be a codependent, people pleasing person (?) Great review!
reply
|
flag
Debbie Y wrote: "And just like that, the child ends up growing to be a codependent, people pleasing person (?) Great review!"Exactly! And if not co-dependent, then over-achieving people-pleasers who have to gain higher and higher levels of wealth/prestige...or Mummy will continue to be sad and depressed forever.
Sounds like a book a lot of parents need to read!
Jenna wrote: "Sounds like a book a lot of parents need to read!"Oddly, I think many parents see it very Freudian, an Oedipus story. Dad fails to keep mom happy, so son must step in and "ride her" into happiness. I totally don't see that and don't agree with that reading, but a lot of people in the club seemed to interpret it like that.
I like that you decided to interpret the stories both way rather than choosing one. I feel like that makes it even more satisfying in the end. Glad you enjoyed this one, Berengaria, and wonderful review!
A wrote: "I like that you decided to interpret the stories both way rather than choosing one. I feel like that makes it even more satisfying in the end. Glad you enjoyed this one, Berengaria, and wonderful r..."Thanks, A Mac!
