Themes and message

Luck

The short story “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D. H. Lawrence explores the theme of luck. 

For different characters, luck means different things. For Paul, luck is a matter of chance, while for Hester, luck is associated with having money. Throughout the story, Paul’s and Hester’s views on luck clash. Hester is dissatisfied with her life and convinced that she is unlucky, while Paul struggles to show her that he is lucky and that he can help her. 

Paul rides his rocking-horse obsessively, which eventually takes him to luck, which is described as a place: “ ‘Now!’ he would silently command the snorting steed. ‘Now take me to where there is luck! Now take me!’ ”. Paul discovers the names of winning horse and is indeed lucky, as he wins large sums of money. However, the story’s ending shows that he is not lucky enough, as he dies without changing his f...