Kyle McCrossin

The allegory aspects of the story would be the whispers of the house and the transfer of money worries from the mom to Paul.  I’m not quite sure what to call it financial woes, or the voice to desire, or maybe even the voice of the devil, could all describe these whispers.  Also the idea of luck was an allegory, the mom and dad didn’t have it but

The main symbol in the story was the rocking horse.  Paul rode it till he found luck.  I believe the rocking horse was like an oil well.  It was there to help the family survive brought them life, good fortune, prosperity, but it was not endless.  The final ride was like the last of the oil being pumped out.   It was the ride that counted for the most, that helped the family out the most, but it came at the cost of the son who made it all possible. The status of the rocking horse reflected the health status of the Paul also.

Sorry but I didn’t see anything else, ether symbols or allegories.

An arc type is a universal recognizable theme that’s reoccurring in literature.  There are two types of literary arc types symbols and characters.

The main symbol is the black box of death.  It’s old, faded with dark ritual relevance, but everything about the ritual has faded away.  So I don’t see any symbols of arctypes that fit this besides maybe a religious arc type.

Character arc type was extraordinary in the lottery.

The wise old man was also the devil

The Logic Guru was also the one who threw the first stone

The damsel in distress was also the closest thing to a hero/ the great mother

The only perfect arc type is the menace with a  heart of gold who is Mr. Summer

Paul’s case, is a head case.  He sees where he’s at, where’s he’s from, but refuses to do something about.  He hates his home, his family, his poverty, but loves the illusion of theater.  The fake face value of what the theater presents to its audiences.  The atmosphere is what he loves.  The atmosphere of music, happiness, luxury, and performance.  He’s a total head case disguised in illusion.  The fact he refuses to face his own reality and chooses to end his own life, shows that he really wasn’t mean for this world.  He  perfered to look inward rather than outward, and that caused his depression, his disillusion, and in the end his suicide.