Lawrence uses two contrasting characters to help convey his point, namely those of the young boy Paul, and his mother, Hester. Paul, is apparently lucky, whereas his mother is not. Paul understood that if he was to succeed, he would have to work, despite what people said about his work. From his mother’s resignation and its results, Paul learns what he must do if he wants to succeed. Hester herself, learns from her own mistakes, but only with Paul’s example and death. Paul’s mother, the inadvertent teacher, becomes the student, only to lose her teacher.