D H Lawrence Forum

D H Lawrence

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I need to answer a few questions in my English class concerning "The Rocking Horse Winner". I cannot find much discussion on-line about this short story by D.H.Lawrence. Do you have any suggestions?

>>By Rita (Sunday, 26 Jan 2003 02:14)

I have a final Exam on the story "Rocking Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence. Your discussion of this story would be greatly appreciated.

>>By Michelle (Sunday, 26 Jan 2003 02:14)

it seems d h lawrence uses a lot of symbolism . or at least the critics make it look like that . the rocking horse in 'the rocking horse winner ' is looked upon as referring to the boy masterbating . the insatiable thirst of the mother is not enitrely asexual . the desire of the boy to satisfy her mother's needs also is given sexual connotations . the frenzied rides of the boy are thought of as signifying the orgasmic heights of sexual union . it seems such an interpretation of this story can only come out of a more detailed reading , including other lawrence stories . i guess interpreting it with such a bias towards sexual connotations might be going a bit out of the way . nevertheless , there is an underlying sense of unquenching thirsts , and anybody with a freudian bent of mind would be more than eager to give it a sexual link . the writer leaves it to the reader and thereby gives it all a more personal touch .

>>By v (Wednesday, 26 Feb 2003 10:02)

I believe that the rocking horse is a symbol, but has more to do with the fact that he puts so much into it, and doesn't get anywhere. (Meaning he puts in energy, and the house still doesn't stop whispering.)

>>By Kathy (Monday, 21 Apr 2003 20:22)

Anyone have an interpretation on Baby Running Barefoot? Or rather any short poem by D.H. Lawrence.

>>By Abby (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 05:01)

Anyone know about D.H. Lawrence and the comparison between his life and Freud's theory?

>>By Bd (Friday, 25 Apr 2003 04:42)

I also enjoy the rocking horse winner. But I still believe that there are some people that over analyzes stories. Freud? Oedipus Rex? Does a son' s love for his mother necessarily mean he wants her in a "Freudian manner"? Just because in all psychology classes we learn about Freud and his theories doesn't mean that his theories are correct. Everytime I'm in a psyc class and we have to learn about Freud, he's always placed in the "History" category. Do boys really love their mothers in that way? Sure, all kids say, "I love my mommy, I want to marry her." But kids at such a young age doesn't know anything about masterbating or sex. Also, In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus DIDN'T know that he married his mother. If he knew, I'm sure he wouldn't have married her! Remember that he left his "adoptive" parents in order to get away from his fate--to kill his father and marry his mother.
I understand that one reader does not interpret a story the same way another reader does. By the way, I'm a 23 year still stuck in jr. high.

>>By Getaclue (Wednesday, 6 Aug 2003 06:53)

OK well, I definitly think that the rocking horse in, 'The Rocking Horse Winner', is a symbol. Although, I think it is beyond anyone to say that they know for a fact, what it symbolizes. I am a firm believer in taking a piece of literature as it comes to YOU, not how it comes off to anyone else. I always fashion my stories and poems so that they can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. However, MY view on D. H. Lawrence's story leans toward the Freaudian school of thought. I hadn't been informed of this interpretation before reading the story, and as I read it, I couldn't help but think to myself, 'Dude, I really think he's trying to say that the boy's masturbating!' At first I just passed off the thought with the excuse that my teenage 'gutter' mind was getting away from me. (lol!) Then, as I read on, more and more events in the story seemed to validate that thought for me. It was the trance like state of the boy, as well as the 'wild, frenzied rides' that really convinced me. Also, when the boy says that he 'gets there,' I took it to sort of mean the same thing as 'getting off', as we would say in todays lingo. But, like I said, take the story as you will, and even though I think Freaud was a bit incorrect in his theories, I totally have to go with him on this one! I really enjoied the story though. Very chilling! Worth the effort in reading it. :)

>>By Epiphany Angel (Thursday, 28 Aug 2003 03:57)

HI I was wonder if any one knew of what TS Elliot thought of lawrence's work and where to find information like this. Thanks

>>By Dazzler452 (Monday, 17 Nov 2003 00:07)

I've recently read "The Rocking Horse Winner" and I find that the story can mean a lot of things. I agree with both Kathy and Getaclue but lets get serious here. Yes, understandibly this is D.H. Lawrence and his writings do lean toward sex and sexual themes but this doesn't strike me as one of them. The description he gives of the boy riding his horse is not unlike Poe's the Tell Tale Heart. If you compare the boys "obsession" with winning at the races to the narrators obsession with the man's eyes you will definately see a lot of similarities. It drove them both mad.

I do have to disagree with Getaclue on the kids being too young to understand about sex and masturbating. I have three younger brothers so I would know. The "boy" (who after reading the story) I can't deem a boy because he was old enough to go to the races and smart enough to bet on horses, wanted something more than just to ride. Paul's sudden "illness" at the end of the story had nothing to do with masturbating or even sex. As a matter of fact, this story didn't even mention sex. People conclude that because they are missing the whole story behind it. I always take a story into perspective by pretending another author wrote is so I won't be so biased. I compared him with Poe and in the freakish way the story went, then it definately adds up. If it were Poe, then the whole riding frenzy would be just a mad dash into death and the boy's illness would be a result of the pressure and whispering of the house as well as his mother's neglect. Come on, what young boy dies of masturbating? If that were the case, all the men in the world would be dead. My theory goes along the lines of what Kathy said. This family pretended to live in a grandeur that they could not afford. The turned a blind eye to what they should have not, each other. There didn't seem to be a lot of love in this family, only sterility. The mother held contempt for the father whom she regrets marrying because he is "unlucky". Any boy vying for his mother's affection would want to be everything she wants him to be so Paul try's his hand at luck. The only thing that keeps him going is the incessant whispering of the house. That is the greed that can't be denied by any of them, both mother and father. The boy is the one to try to answer that call, to try to silence the whisperings the only thing he knew how, by feeding the flames. What he doesn't understand is that no matter how much wood you give a fire, it can still burn more. So after the need/greed of his parents are fed, they crave more. What else can he do? At such a tender age the pressure and anxiety must have been overwhelming. He was trying to be an adult when all he needed to be was a boy. He wanted so much to give his mother what his father couldn't. And that was NOT and Oedipus complex, that was a boy reaching out for the affection he never had. His mother could hold him all she wanted but if she didn't love him, he could still feel that. He tried to win her love by feeding her greed. That didn't work and in the end he paid the ultimate price for her happiness, his life. Kinda sad. And still his mother didn't even understand. At the end when Bassette explained to her that Paul was betting on the horses she said very little. She didn't even cry when he died. Actually the story didn't mention anyone crying, how sad. The uncle's last line was a good one. In short he sad that she, the mother had a good thing, Paul. But Paul had a bad thing because no matter how hard he tried, his mother held no affection for him. Even at his death.

>>By T_Sweety (Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003 20:29)

Taking a small step aside from this DH Lawrence story (which I haven't read, so I'm not biased) I agree with T_Sweety that young kids are perfectly capable of having sexual feelings or feelings of pleasure. But from a very early age most of us are taught that this is 'bad', 'dirty' or 'not done' and we put it away in our subconscious. Nobody ever wondered why so many people are so inhibited?
I agree with certain elements of Freud's theory and I'm convinced they apply to most people to a certain extent, if only because sex is closely related to our old survival instincts. And I think he was usiing the Oedipus analogy as a symbol, not as an analogy.

>>By Aywin (Wednesday, 26 Nov 2003 15:50)

I need some information about how Lawrence's Sons and Lovers relates to the age in which it was written. I believe it was the modern age.

>>By bq_17 (Wednesday, 7 Apr 2004 18:21)

I need help on figuring out what type of poems are these and what makes them that type:
Week-night service
The Mystic Blue

>>By SumGirl (Monday, 19 Apr 2004 06:53)

I need to explain every symbol in the rocking horse winner... HELP!

the eyes
rocking horse
whispering
money
children
seaside
...etc

>>By dnbpv6 (Monday, 25 Oct 2004 03:16)

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