Some people have a motivation that can lead them to achieve what they desire most. In the short story “The Rocking Horse Winner”, DH Lawrence highlights this through the motivation and symbolism of the characters. He continues this using the pursuit of desire, and how if you carry it to a certain extent, it can lead to tragedy if the individual chooses not to comply. Paul wants to please his mother because his mother feels that her family is unlucky, but Paul proclaims that he is lucky. Paul is suddenly consumed by this sudden frenzy of luck and believes that it is the only way for him to win his mother's affections. DH Lawrence reveals that Paul has a certain flaw that makes him believe that the only way to win his mother's love and affection is to win money in horse racing. He pursues this pursuit of desire toward the standards he thought he wanted, but not toward the standards that would have gotten what he wanted, which leads to his downfall. When individuals desire the love of another, they can choose to conform their beliefs and actions to that person. At first, they may feel like they are succeeding, but if they sacrifice everything, pursuing this kind of goal, they may pay a heavy price instead of gaining their heart's desire. Paul desires his mother's love more than anything. However, he feels that he must prove that he is lucky. He struggles to prove that he has to make his mother happy. Paul wants his mother to love him more than anything. For Paul's mother, money means luck, and this will allow her to win his love. “There has to be more money” (19). He hears these voices throughout the house. They hear these voices when they receive objects of joy, especially as Christmas approaches. The other children may go their separate ways, one for money and another for his mother. This ultimately leads to Paul's demise. “Mother, have I ever told you/No, you haven’t”(34) He never told his mother what he did for her. He wanted more than anything to win her love. He conformed to a certain path that he believed would enable him to realize his ultimate desire. Paul wanted more than anything to win his mother's love. He chose to conform to the path of luck. While pursuing this personal desire, he became overwhelmed by it, which ultimately led to his demise. If he could have controlled his desire, it could have saved him from tragedy. When an individual chooses to conform to the ideals of another individual in order to achieve their own personal desire, they cannot sacrifice everything for that person's ideals, as this can often result in tragedy..