With a family comes the responsibilities of maintaining a happy and stable household. The duty to have a secure family involves financial security, which ensures that a family has enough food, is adequately cared for and clothed. The level of happiness depends on the dynamics of the family itself, for example how supportive and attentive a family is towards each other, but often happiness is taken by surprise by money. Financial security and happiness can be confused and obscured by the desire for money and consumerism. Families provide for their family's financial needs, but neglect the emotional aspects. The overwhelming need for money puts a strain on families. DH Lawrence's story explores the dynamics of money and its psychological toll. The story of the unhappy family in DH Lawrence's story, "The Rocking Horse Winner", demonstrates the negative psychological effects that arise from the insatiable desire for money and mindless consumerism. The dissatisfied family stories demonstrate the negative psychological effects that arise from the insatiable desire for money. The family's burning desire for more money causes a mad obsession among them. Obsession is described as the domination of a person's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, or desire (Dictonary.com). Obsession is first seen in the family as the narrator describes it: “there was never enough [money]…there was always the overwhelming sense of lack of money…” (Lawrence 36). Although the family's basic financial needs are met, the family is not satisfied and continues to want more. The young protagonist, Paul, is consumed by an obsession with money. Paul's maddening obsession culminates when he rocks wildly on his rocking horse in hopes of catching... middle of paper... desire for money and mindless consumerism. As Ben Franklin once said, “Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in his nature that produces happiness. The more you have, the more you want." (brainyquote.com). Works Cited Barrett, Gerald R., Thomas L. Erskine, and D.H. Lawrence. From fiction to cinema: "The Rocking Horse Winner" by DH Lawrence. Encino, CA: Dickenson Pub., 1974. Print.Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com and Web. April 09, 2014.Kearney, Martin F. Major D.H. Lawrence Short Stories: A Handbook. New York: Garland Pub., 1998. Print.Lewis, Leon. "The winner of the rocking horse." Masterplots, fourth edition (2010): 1-3. Literary reference center. Network. April 11, 2014.Miller, Geoffrey. Spent: sex, evolution and consumer behavior. New York: Viking, 2009. Print."Money Quotes." Clever quote. Xplore and Web. 09 April. 2014.