w and see it in each others eyes that she is too selfish to even love her child at all. The dialogue between Paul and his mother on the subject of luck is interesting. The mother answers the boy very bitterly (Kalasky 258) and with a laugh. The boy is silent for a time (Kalasky 258) and tries to look at her as if she meant it or not. This dialogue is why the boys (hunger for love is betrayed, and distorted into the pursuit of luck (Kalasky 258). It seems as if the mother is just using her son just to get what she wants out of life and that is money.Hester is also a very domineering mother. She cannibalizes (Discovering Authors 1) her son. She seductively invites Paul to take his fathers place (Kaplan 1972) in her life and find luck for her. Mother intentionally makes Paul feel as if he has to do whatever she says, and reluctantly, Paul sets out to accomplish this task for his mother. Hester has pushed Paul so much that he became very frail (860), and his legs were uncanny (860). Pauls comprehensive need to satisfy the houses demands to win his mothers love has produced a noticeable physical change. The mothers dominance over Paul makes Paul feel as if winning has not freed him (855) from his houses insatiable demands. The mother has also put into Pauls mind that the only way to win his mothers affection (Kalasky 253) is through money to show her that he, himself, is luck and his father is not. Paul talks to his uncle and tells him that he does not want his mother to know that her demands are insatiable.All of these characteristics help the reader to develop a better understanding of Hesters character. The story is a brilliant study in the sustained use of symbolism to suggest with bold economy the death-dealing consequences of the substitution of money for love (Kaplan 1973). Hesters greed, selfishness, and dominance over others has brought an understanding of her rudeness and self-pity towards others including her son....
