I doubt that any of you reading this essay during your childhood ever uttered the phrase: "I"d like to be poor, homeless, and jobless when I grow up". At one time or another, we all desire to become successful. As children growing up, we observe our parents, our favorite celebrities, and the society in general, thence becoming ultimately inspired by the ideas of "who we"d like to be like", or "what we"d like to be" when we become adults. We admire those who we feel are successful and through observation of their lives determine our own destiny. As youngsters we even at times draw our own conclusions about how much money we"d like to have and the importance of materialistic possessions in which we"d one day like to obtain. .
In the story, "the Rocking -Horse-Winner", a young boy named Paul is on a search for "luck". He of course admires his mother, yet she considers their family to be "unlucky". The home in which they live, is quoted as being "haunted by the unspoken phrase: There must be more money!" (pg.513)The narrator begins the story by discussing the family's living conditions. Both parents are described as having "expensive spending habits" and "although they lived in style, they've felt always an anxiety in the house (p.513)." Seemingly, living above their means with an assortment of high-priced expenditures such as fancy home furnishings, a nurse for the children, and an array of servants, the family appears to be well off but in actuality "there was never enough money for the social position which they had to keep up" (p.513). The mother struggles, trying to find a way to make things better for her family and the son vows to not end up like his parents. .
The social exchange theory rests on the belief that human beings attempt to make choices that they expect will maximize their rewards and minimize their cost. According to the theory of exchange a group of related individuals exchange material, economic and psychic commodities, in order to maximize personal satisfaction.