she only cares about superficial appearances and material things. In this loveless environment, Paul is continually aware of the fact that his mother desires more money. As such, it becomes his internalized wish to supply it. He believes by granting his motherÆs wish, she will be a happy and loving mother.
PaulÆs obsession with his rocking-horse stems from his motherÆs insatiable desire for more money. As the story opens, we are told by Lawrence (1966) about PaulÆs mother, ôThere was a woman who was beautiful, who started with all the advantages, yet she had no luckö (147). PaulÆs motherÆs insatiable need for more money and lamentations of being unlucky make Paul think he must bring her luck. His mother does not provide him with nurturing, compassion, or love like a typical mother. Instead, her materialistic needs manifest deep anxiety within Paul, who turns to his rocking-horse in the hopes it will finally bring his mother ôluckö, ôAlthough they lived in style, they felt always an anxiety in the houseö (Lawrence 148).
The environment in PaulÆs house is so obsessed with acquiring more money that not only does the house whisperÆs affect Paul but his rocking-horse also hears them. PaulÆs mother continually reminds him that she is unlucky and, even more so, his father is unlucky. She tells Paul they are the poor members of the family. When he asks her why this is the case, she replies, ôÆWell-I supposed,Æ she said slowly and bitterly, æitÆs because your father has no luckÆö (Lawrence 149). PaulÆs mother informs him that being born lucky is even more desirable than being rich, because you could always lose your fortune if you were merely rich. When Paul asks if his father is, indeed, unlucky, his mother replies, ôVery unlucky, I should sayö (Lawrence 150).
PaulÆs mother engenders nothing but anxiety and rejection in Paul. She goes so far as to tell him that before she was married (i.e. before ...