Rocking-Horse Winner describes a family living beyond their means but needing to keep up the appearance of having some wealth and social standing. The main characters described in this tale are the mother, her young son Paul, the presence of an uncle who interacts with the young boy and the family's gardener. The father is not involved with the family much and is rarely mentioned, only in passing. The author portrays a family in constant turmoil due to financial difficulties brought on by living above their means yet wanting yet wanting to appear as if their standing in their community is above anyone else and their feeling of superiority towards others in the neighborhood. The servants in this family are chosen for their discretion because the family doesn't want others to know their true financial situation and lack of wealth because appearance is very important to the mother in this story. The author only hints at the father as being handsome, well groomed with expensive tastes but somehow irresponsible or unable to provide a lifestyle his wife expects and feels deserving of.
             This young boy Paul seems to be aware of his family's money problems because his conversation with his mother point to that direction.
             In one conversation the author describes how young Paul was curious as to why the family does not own a car and must rely on the uncle's vehicle or a taxi. The mother's response is that the father was somehow incapable of making money and implies to the son that this was due to lack of luck. She equates money with luck and feels that luck causes people to have money. She believes this and doesn't seem to understand that one's work ethics and financial wisdom is maybe more to do with what lifestyle one chooses or that their lack of money is due to her and her husband's lack of responsibility or inability to earn their keep. She tells her impressionable son that lucky people always ha...