Analysis of setting in the "the Rocking Horse Winner" by Araby

It is said that reading literary works is more than just setting the eyes on one individual story or another. Rather, it has been suggested that all possible connections between two or more works are taken into considerations so as to reach to better understanding of all. True enough, this recommendation once put into use for the two stories "The Rocking Horse Winner" (by D. H. Lawrence) and "Araby" (by James Joyce) could lead to a revelation of many details in common between them, especially the setting, or the living environment of the leading characters. The likeness is that both the novelty in life targeted by "I" character in "Araby" and mother love thirsted by Paul are partially obstructed by the disturbing surroundings.

In "The Rocking Horse Winner", there is only one word precisely describing the mood of the house where Paul lives: Anxiety.

Paul Walker

Paul Stang

[Portrait of Les Paul, Fat Tuesday, New York, N.Y....

It could be found at least seven times throughout the story. In the story, the house is "loaded" all the time with bizarre whispers: "There must be more money". That is because all members in that family just rush for their needs, money, luck and so on, and hardly pay any attention to each other's inner thoughts. The mother, though being housed in a well better-off family, feels that "at the centre of her heart was a hard little place that could not feel love" just because she always listens to the "anxiety" for money lurking here and there in the house. She is haunted by the ideas of luck and money. Never could we spot any saying when the mother lets out a word about "love" or "happiness", not at all. Instead, she just thrusts herself in expensive hungers. The more money she gets, the more she...