The Rocking Horse Winner vs. The Destructors
One may under the impression that having large quantities of money or a lot of material possessions will lead to happiness. However, is it possible that having the same possessions could lead one to self destruction? In the story "The Rocking Horse Winner", D.H. Lawrence depicts an example of how the pursuit of materialistic items will lead to destruction. Graham Greene also exemplifies the pursuit of material satisfaction, in the form of notoriety, in the story "The Destructors". However, this also leads down a path to destruction. Lawrence and Greene argue that the pursuit of material possessions or striving for social credibility may lead to a false sense of happiness, but this same pursuit could also lead one to self destruction.
Both stories have characters believing that the pursuit of material possessions will lead to happiness. In "The Rocking Horse Winner," Paul's mother, in her search for happiness, equates having "stuff" to her social status, which is illustrated by her statement, "...[
Paul Stang
Image depicting member of MS13 gang. Work of the F...
The Rocking Horse Winner (film)they ] felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood" (Lawrence 302). This woman yearns for notoriety. "The mother had a small income, the father had a small income, but not nearly enough for the social position..." (Lawrence 302). To achieve this goal, she believes that money is a necessity. To her, money is the solution to her happiness. However, one of her problems is that the more she acquires, the more she wants. The author illustrates this ultimate desire by showing what happened when the household gains more possessions: "And yet the voices in the house... simply trilled and
screamed...there must be more money! Oh-h-h there must be more money. Oh, now, now-w! Now-w there must be more money - more than ever..." (Lawrence 311). The money from...