This is a great question because it points towards the
fantasy nature of this story. However, you need to remember, allegories are stories
where events, characters and actions all stand for something beyond themselves. Normally
characters and setting will represent abstract ideas or moral qualities. Whilst it
appears the story is almost fable-like in pointing towards the dangers of greed and its
impact on not just yourself but those nearest and dearest to you, it is clear that we
can not view this story as an allegory.
However, it is
clear that Lawrence uses many of the conventions of fantasy in this excellent short
story. Consider the many fantasy elements--the repeated whispering of the house, the
possession (if that is what is is) of Paul by the rocking-horse, the way that with more
and more success Paul becomes more and more deranged. It is clear by contrast that a
typical fairy tale ends happily, but here Paul dies and his mother is left with the
consequences of her greed. We can thus say that Lawrence adopts the trappings of the
fantasy only to subvert them to his own purpose - the shock ending stresses Lawrence's
point about the evils of materialism.
So, this story cannot
be considered as an allegory, but you are right in identifying that Lawrence
deliberately adopts the genre of the fairy tale - but only so that he can subvert it to
emphasise his message and theme.
No comments:
Post a Comment