The Rocking-Horse Winner Foreshadowing

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Paul is a young child who seeks his mother’s love and during his pursuit, becomes possessed by the devil, ultimately leading to his death. Paul’s childhood is peculiar, as his mother does not love him and her main goal is to sustain her family’s luxurious lifestyle. In the short story, “The Rocking-Horse Winner”, D. H. Lawrence uses foreshadowing and descriptive language to show the negative repercussions of neglect on a child. Firstly, the author uses foreshadowing to show the effects of neglect on a child. The quotation at the beginning of the story indicates Paul’s motivation for riding the rocking-horse. Paul’s mother is described as being incapable of “feeling[ing] love” (953). The reader starts by having a strange outlook…show more content…
This is due to Paul’s mother’s inability to love her children and the fact that she does not love her husband anymore. This gives the reader insight into the future events, as this lack of love is something unusual in a family. Due to maternal love being expected in today’s society, the knowledge of its absence foreshadows ensuing horrors. The foreshadowing of calamity is further exemplified by concern over the evident lack of money. This anxiety increases the tension of the family and creates horror when the author states that the family always felt “an anxiety in the house. There was never enough money” (953). The monetary issue foreshadows additional problems in the household and serves as a sign that Paul will not have a proper childhood. Paul’s mom is so consumed in obtaining money, that she does not provide her son with love and affection, which is a necessity in life. The anxiety felt throughout the…show more content…
Paul is frightening to look at when he is riding his rocking-horse because he is possessed by the devil. No one knows what state or trance he is in while riding the rocking-horse, or how he determines the winners for each race. “But Paul only [gives] a blue glare from his big, rather close-set eyes. He would speak to nobody when he was in full tilt” (956). This quotation indicates Paul’s intensity on the rocking horse and it shows that he will pursue his motives no matter the obstacle. He wants to obtain money for his family and along the way, becomes possessed by the devil. Similarly, the whole family situation is perilous because there is a desire for money that covers the essential evil of what is happening to Paul. “But even for the Lincoln he didn’t ‘know’, and he lost fifty pounds. He became wild-eyed and strange, as if something were going to explode” (962). This quotation shows Paul becoming very upset that he cannot determine the winner. Money is so important to him that he feels as if he is going to explode without having the chance to earn more money. This reveals the effects of neglect on a child because if his mother loved him, he would have been told not to worry about money and that money is only a responsibility for adults. This would not have led to Paul being possessed by the devil and eventually
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