Comparing Rocking-Horse Winner, Prussian Officer, and...

Differences in Rocking-Horse Winner, Prussian Officer, and Second Best Works by the same author often show the repeated use of certain words, images, or plots. In five short stories by the author, D.H. Lawrence, differences between social classes are the basis for conflict and provide the foundation for taboo relationships. These five stories are The Rocking-Horse Winner, The Prussian Officer, Second Best, The White Stocking, and The Daughters of the Vicar. The inclusion of the motif of class differences in these particular works often leads to acts of violence or tragedy as the outcome. In The Rocking-Horse Winner, a relationship forms between the pseudo- aristocratic Paul and his familys gardener, Bassett. Pauls†¦show more content†¦Consequently, more violence also arises. The officer is, a Prussian aristocrat, haughty and overbearing. Having made too many gambling debts . . . he remained an infantry captain(2). The officer is furious at the youth and vigor of his servant, he often catches himself admiring the young, brown, shapely peasants hand(3) or the strong, easy young figure, the fine eyebrows, the thick black hair (5). The class difference is accentuated by the officers cruelty towards his young charge: he is forced to stay indoors doing mindless tasks instead of spending a few meager minutes with his girlfriend, he is violently kicked behind the legs for failing to answer a question quickly enough, he is slapped in the face with the end of a belt, and he is struck with a heavy military glove in the same way. The officer is clearly jealous of the fr eedom of the peasantry, and indicates this with his thoughts of hatred and violent actions as well as words. The servant is tortured simply for who he is, not for what he has done: he is lower than the officer and, therefore, faced with less constraint and social pressures. The Captain could not regain his neutrality of feeling towards his orderly. Nor could he leave the man alone (4). The torture continues until the two are finally placed on the same level during a climactic scene of violence and death. The orderlys murder of the officer is a man to man struggle,Show MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesConflict 375 SKILL LEARNING 376 Interpersonal Conflict Management 376 Mixed Feelings About Conflict 376 Diagnosing the Type of Interpersonal Conflict 378 Conflict Focus 378 Conflict Source 380 Selecting the Appropriate Conflict Management Approach 383 Comparing Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies 386 Selection Factors 386 Resolving Interp ersonal Confrontations Using the Collaborative Approach A General Framework for Collaborative Problem Solving 391 The Four Phases of Collaborative Problem Solving