Fiction Essay- the Relationship Between Money and Happiness

$70,000, you’ll soon “need” about $98,000. The more you have, the more you find you need” (Brooks). Another example is in the story, “The Rocking Horse Winner,” Paul gives five thousand pounds to his mother to make her happy but she is not pleased because she is not getting all the money at once. Instead of being grateful for what she had received, she sets out to get all the money.

Paul’s family is so obsessed about money and materials that the house is whispering “there must be more money. ” These examples display how people are never satisfied and that they continually want more and more. Often times people encounter more problems when having more money. According to Katie Norman, writer and investigator for The Western Mail newspaper, winning the lottery can be traumatic. Norman reveals the negative side of winning the lottery and shows it can affect the relationship between husbands and wives. Norman provides an example couple who say they were happier before they won the lottery when they just had each other.

One individual said, “I can’t blame the lottery money for splitting us up but people think that if you are rich then every day will be sunny. It’s just not like that” (Norman). Throughout “The Rocking Horse Winner” Lawrence attacks the idea that happiness comes from the outside, rather than from within; that happiness must take the form of money and goods rather than love. Money can be very deceiving and can direct any individual down a destructive path.

Furthermore, materialistic parents influence the values of their children. If one’s parents base everything in life around money and possessions their children often

grow up the same way; then the cycle continues when they infect their children with the same poison they were taught. Teaching love and gratitude is the key to happiness. In addition, can money buy health? Staying healthy is one of the important elements in life. When people are ill, they usually will be down and depressed about life. Even though they have a huge amount of money, they are unable to spend it happily.

All the money in this world cannot buy someone good health. According to Peter Dodson, author of “Buying Happiness: The Depressing Reality of Materialism,” research has revealed that wealth and chasing after material goods can actually impact a person’s health. Dodson states, “The more they buy into the consumer materialist messages, the worse they feel about themselves…” (Dodson). Lawrence illustrates how Paul’s mother’s desire for more money results in the death of Paul.

In conclusion, the love of money is the root of all evil and destruction. Lawrence along with today’s researches points out how money cannot buy happiness. However, people do not revolve their happiness around money and those who put money to good use can achieve or maintain a happy life.