Chapter 3: The Rocking-horse Winner

a. Paul and his mother shared intimate conversations through their eyes. As they were not love bound to each other according to the first paragraph, the author conveys that it was the child and the mother alone who understood that there was no love in their relationship. They knew it as they were able to read it in each other’s eyes.

b. Paul and Bassett had a partnership or friendship, which was an affectionate relationship between them. Bassett understood even the small things which others even failed to notice. All the news of racing horses was brought to Paul by Bassett, and using the clairvoyant, Paul decided who the winner was.

c. Paul and his uncle Oscar become good partners as soon as he finds out that Paul has good knowledge, which makes him determine the winning horse. He later realises that betting on horses makes Paul more nervous and hampers his health. Oscar Creswell questions Paul on how to win by betting on racing horses, to which he innocently answers that he knows who is going to win once he gets there.

d. Bassett and Paul’s uncle Creswell shared a good bond from long back. Bassett had promised Paul that he would never tell about his horse betting to uncle Oscar Creswell. Later Bassett explained these things to uncle Creswell, and then the three of them became partners.

e. Calling Hester a harsh lady would be totally unfair as she cared for her children after all but gave more importance to materialistic gains. As soon as she realised her son’s obsession with betting on racehorses, she requested the gardener and Bassett to keep him away from Oscar as it should not affect her son’s health. Her son’s obsession was neurotic, so she wanted him to be healthy for which she risked her relationship with her brother.

The rocking horse is one of the three symbols which Lawrence has dealt with in the entire story. The horse is considered to be a symbol of victory, which Paul achieves in the end. It proves how materialistic gain and money are more important in our lives than love. The whispers that “there must be more money” that Paul keeps hearing and the rocking horse are interrelated with each other. The need for money to get the love of his mother, which he never got, leads him to bet on racing horses and earns more to prove his luck. When the boy questioned his mother about what luck is, she told him that luck is something which brings money. The boy is disappointed to know that his father did not have luck and so will not be able to make money. He is sad that he will not be able to have his mother’s love, who is consumed by indebtedness. The autistic boy, with some extrasensory perception, rides his horse till he gets there. It depicts his wish to physically win the love of his mother by winning the horse race and therefore earning more money. After the ride, Paul will stand with legs apart by facing the horse, and he would look at the shining eyes and the bent head of the horse. These make it clear about the wanting, the determination and the need for money which Paul had. For him, it is all about love, money, success and winning, which are more important. Paul finally wins and gets his mother the money through the difficulties he faces in the races. He finally found the love and concern of his mother through his obsession with the horse races, which killed him.

Then a happy ending, it is real that tragedy causes a deeper mark. This causes sentimental catharsis in the audience. It would have been better if there was a happy ending in the story, though the reader would not have understood the passion and emotions which drove Paul to his sad end. Some may find it not justified to have killed the boy at the end as it went so well with Paul achieving both love and money. Finally, he gave his life to provide his mother with what his father was not able to, which proved that he was worthy of her love and affection. No one in this world can have all the happiness. God is considered to be cruel when he gives us something, he gives us one thing while taking away our cherished possession. It cannot be justified that the death of Paul was correct at the end or the other way round as it is ironic. Post Derby win, if he had lived, who knows what would have occurred in the story. Everything which occurs happens for good, yet it would have provided a happy ending if Paul had lived.