The Rocking Horse Winner

Reading Check

1. “There must be more money.” (Paragraph 5)

2. To “take [him] to where there is luck” (Paragraph 12)

3. “[T]hree hundred” pounds (Paragraph 30)

4. “[H]eaven” (Paragraph 37)

5. On her birthday for the next five years (Paragraphs 45-47)

6. That she had a “gambling family” (Paragraph 57)

Short Answer

1. Paul’s mother defines luck as “what causes you to have money. If you're lucky you have money. That's why it's better to be born lucky than rich. If you're rich, you may lose your money. But if you're lucky, you will always get more money.” When Paul asks his mother if they are lucky, his mother responds that Paul’s father is “[v]ery unlucky.” (Paragraph 8)

2. Bassett is a gardener who discusses the horse races with Paul. The uncle is “delighted to find that his small nephew was posted with all the racing news” and begins to ask Paul for betting tips. (Paragraphs 23-28)

3. After learning that Paul is interested in horse betting, Uncle Oscar takes him to the Lincoln races. Paul places a bet on the horse Daffodil and wins, and then he offers his uncle the chance to become partners with him and Bassett. (Paragraphs 30-34)

4. Paul is motivated to continue betting on horses because he wants to give the money to his mother so the house “might stop whispering.” Paul then asks his uncle not to tell his mother, to which his uncle responds that he does not think that Paul’s mother would stop the boy from gambling; however, he agrees to keep this a secret from her. (Paragraph 44)

5. Paul is anxious for the arrival of his mother’s birthday, as she will receive the first of her five-year installment of the money. He expects her to be happy when she reads the letter from the lawyer; however, he watches as “her face harden[s] and [becomes] more expressionless. Then a cold, determined look [comes] on her mouth.” Paul learns from his uncle that she requests the lawyer to give her the entirety of the £5,000 up front, to which Paul agrees. (Paragraphs 49-50)

6. Paul’s “secret of secrets” is the rocking horse that he wants to use before the Derby race in order to place bets, as the house has increased its whispers for more money. One night, his mother walks in on him, riding the horse fervently and in a trance, shouting “Malabar,” the winning horse’s name. He falls into an illness, dying shortly after he learns that he placed a winning bet of £80,000. (Paragraphs 51-85)