In Lawrence’s short story "The Rocking Horse Winner," a young boy becomes obsessed with the idea of having good luck after he engages in a conversation about luck and money with his mother. She installs in him the belief that neither she nor his father has any luck. In reality it is their need to keep up false appearances of having money that adds to their bad luck of never having enough money. Even the house whispers the sentiment “If there was only more money.”
The boy engages in riding a rocking horse with steadfast determination. It is only when the child begins to talk with his uncle that it is revealed that he is betting at the races. After using money his uncle gave him, the boys luck changes from bad to good. A man named Bassett, who assists the boy in betting, tells the boy’s uncle, “It’s as if he had it from Heaven” (D.H. Lawrence). He is referring to the boy’s talent at being able to predict which horse is going to win the race. He relates the child’s ability to predict the races as a present sent from divine sources. The phrase is repeated several times through-out the story reminding the reader of the boy’s special gift for prediction.
The generous child shares his earnings with his mother so that the bill collectors and the noises demanding that more money be obtained are halted. Yet, the voices only increase because his parents increase their spending once they have money again and still poorly manage their bills. Instead his parents step up their lifestyle creating an even greater need for a larger sum of money to support there lifestyle.
The ending lends to concern as the child dies following a wild and exhausting ride on his rocking horse as he gropes for the next winner. He rides into frenzy in order to find his answer “The Gift he has from Heaven.” However, the gift turns into something not from Heaven which is disclosed by the son’s death shortly after he wins the large sum of *80,000 pounds. His parents need for a lavish lifestyle has led to the boy’s demise.
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