The Rocking Horse Winner Critical Analysis

“During this stage, as Freud asserted, a child develops for him or herself a distinct sexual identity as a 'boy' or 'girl,' and begins to recognize the physical and social differences between men and women. This realization, Freud believed, changes the dynamic between a child and his or her parents. According to Freud's theory, children then direct their developing sexual desire toward their mother and begin to view their fathers as rivals for the mother's attention. ” (Nasio, 23-24)
At this stage Children, then, unconsciously desirous to own their mothers sexually in the way that they realizes and they seemed to and subconsciously desired to get rid of their fathers. Freud also believed that children think that their fathers are stronger than they are and cannot be removed. This very recognition, Freud is of the view that these are the main causes of unconscious anxiety and frustration within children. Freud realized that this very anxiety - which emerged complete unconsciously – demonstrated itself in various ways for boys and girls:

Firstly, the Oedipus complex that existed and arose between Paul and his mother. Paul's violent and rampant desire to placate his mother led to him financially usurping his father as the money-provider of the household. Secondly, while Hester, Paul’s mother, hysterically longed for all the luxuries which her husband could not give her and her family as a whole, she pointed out her husband symbolically with her statement to her son, that is, “well I suppose […] your father had no luck” (Lawrence, 1926:3). The only thing was, Hester's own sagacity of deficiency spilled out on Paul, who was inwardly instigated his exasperated attempts to give her pleasure and gain her love. Ironically, Paul’s longing to please his mother ultimately led to his death. Thirdly, the “house” speaks the mind