The Rocking Horse Winner
AP Literature and Composition
5 September 2012
The Rocking-Horse Winner Questions 1. The purpose of this story is to show the importance of the choices that you make. If you’re going to wish for something, just make sure to think twice about it before the wish finalizes. In this simplistic style of writing, direct characterization and its use of the wish motif make this story a fable of sorts, a tale meant to teach a lesson. The story is centered around a child who potentially has magical powers, that wants to use his ability for the sake of his greedy family members without knowing the consequence. 2. The story claimed that she “adores” her children, but in reality she hardly cares about them. The first child to notice this cold and rather distant love is Paul. Instead of focusing on taking care of her children, she spends her money leisurely and always complaining of not having enough income. Like most caring mothers, such as fairy God mother, they would be happy if their lives are decent, but as for their children, it should go beyond that. The boy’s mistake about filthy lucker clarifies her thinking as needy of money and her motivation as to spend it more leisurely. Her love for her husband is no longer there because it’s his fault for being unlucky that she too has to be so. She is “unlucky” because she is married to an unlucky man. 3. Paul is the kind of child who is innocent that also craves love from his parents, especially from his mom. His motivation is to guess the winning horses so his family can be filthy lucky. 4. The second of these cannot be accepted as little more than a metaphor. When comparing a boy with divinatory power to the house that could whisper, it’s not plausible. The reason why he keeps on riding his rocking horse because he wants to show his mom that he is indeed lucky. As his luck rises, the house whispers louder and louder. 5. It is ironic that the boy’s attempt to stop the whispers should only increase
5 September 2012
The Rocking-Horse Winner Questions 1. The purpose of this story is to show the importance of the choices that you make. If you’re going to wish for something, just make sure to think twice about it before the wish finalizes. In this simplistic style of writing, direct characterization and its use of the wish motif make this story a fable of sorts, a tale meant to teach a lesson. The story is centered around a child who potentially has magical powers, that wants to use his ability for the sake of his greedy family members without knowing the consequence. 2. The story claimed that she “adores” her children, but in reality she hardly cares about them. The first child to notice this cold and rather distant love is Paul. Instead of focusing on taking care of her children, she spends her money leisurely and always complaining of not having enough income. Like most caring mothers, such as fairy God mother, they would be happy if their lives are decent, but as for their children, it should go beyond that. The boy’s mistake about filthy lucker clarifies her thinking as needy of money and her motivation as to spend it more leisurely. Her love for her husband is no longer there because it’s his fault for being unlucky that she too has to be so. She is “unlucky” because she is married to an unlucky man. 3. Paul is the kind of child who is innocent that also craves love from his parents, especially from his mom. His motivation is to guess the winning horses so his family can be filthy lucky. 4. The second of these cannot be accepted as little more than a metaphor. When comparing a boy with divinatory power to the house that could whisper, it’s not plausible. The reason why he keeps on riding his rocking horse because he wants to show his mom that he is indeed lucky. As his luck rises, the house whispers louder and louder. 5. It is ironic that the boy’s attempt to stop the whispers should only increase