Alyssa’s AP Blog

             The short story “The Rocking Horse Winner”, by D.H. Lawrence, is oozing with symbolism. The voices in the house that whisper were symbols of greed.  The more money the family had, the more these voices expressed that “there must be more money” (294). There was never enough; they always wanted more (just like the mom, who wanted the whole 5 thousand at once). The money was also another example of greed. The more there was, the more it kept building on itself. Those electrifying blue eyes that Paul had were also more than just a body part. They expressed his passion and mood. When he was trying to figure out what horse would win in the Derby, his eyes were “blazing” and when he was unconsciousthey were “blue stones”. This expressive nature made the reader know exactly how Paul felt. The main allegory that I noticed was the rocking horse. It was the tangiblesymbol for the abstract concept for luck. Like luck, the rocking horse was unstable and quickly changed back and forth. By balancing all of his power on luck, Paul ended up winning money, but loosing his life.