Lawrence=s AThe Rocking-Horse Winner@, the protagonist Paul is exhausted to death by the greed of the men in his life. In the short story young Paul in a attempt to escape the torturing voices of greed in his house; rides his violently on his magic rocking-horse that predicts the winner to horse races. Paul does this in order to please his mother, who relates money luck to money, and money to class and success. Although Paul=s mother comes off prominently as a antagonist in the story, Paul=s uncle and gardener, Bassett play an equal if not dominating role in Paul=s demise through the exhaustion of ridding a rocking horse to find a winner.
Paul=s mother is a cold woman that only loves money. If fact her greed prevents her from loving anything more, including her own children. AOnly she herself knew that at the center of her heart was a hard little place that could not fell love, no not for anybody@. The voices of greed in the house were most likely her own, AThere must be more money@. Her greed was so strong that it hunted Paul and his siblings. Which is why is starts his pursuit for Aluck@, or money. Although Paul=s mother is no help to him, her role in the story is more of a Aglue@ character than a antagonist, she makes the relationship between Paul and his antagonist possible, namely his Uncle and Mr. Bassett. .
Bassett is an equal contributor to Paul=s death. Bassett was wounded in the war, where he served Paul=s Uncle who got him his job as there gardener (439). Bassett a man who Alived in the .
Perotti, 2.
racing events@(439). Was the one who schooled Paul in the ways of the track. Bassett told Paul all the racing news, and became Paul=s partner when he learned Paul could predict the winners of the races. In this was Bassett was greedy and a bad influence on Paul, leading him down a materialistic road just like his mother and his uncle.
Paul=s uncle was already corrupted by money when he learned of Paul and Bassettt=s partnership.