The Rocking Horse Winner

It is clear that all of the pressure and conflict that derives in D.H. Laurence's "The Rocking Horse Winner" is set to be the mother's fault. From the very beginning we learn that the mother is very unlucky and always has been and at the end of the story she is viewed as the reason for her sons death. When her son states,
'I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!'
'No, you never did,' said the mother.'
But the boy died in the night'
The mother's neglect in the fact that she never told her son that he was lucky and never believed in him is one of the main causes for why the son went on a rampage in order to become lucky and make money for the family. The boys mother never satisfied his hunger for love.

Lawrence also has a very particular use of style by using the dialog to reveal the characters. The story is not about what happens - Lawrence tell us - but about how it happens. Making his style metaphorical.

Lawrence shows us by only bringing the father in the story twice, and it is very significant that at the end the first appearance of the father is a drinking one. Maybe the absence of his presence shows that he doesn't want to around the unlucky mother as well. He she's her addiction to satisfaction through money and knows that it is the only way he can truly satisfy her. Perhaps he keeps away from her because sexual satisfaction doesn't do the job.

Lastly, Lawrence gives the effort to show the mother has talent when she tries to go out to use her sketching skills. But once she finds out that someone is already ahead of her she doubts herself and fails at sketching. She believes that since she is lower than someone in skill and income, luck isn't on her-side but someone else. It's also very ridiculous of her because she had just started and then gave up just as quickly.