British short story writers are often critical of the rich and those who want to be rich. They often analyze these segments of society by commenting on the class, money, and actions and behavior of the female characters. Two short stories that embody these characteristics are Sean O'Faolin's "A Fur Coat" and D.H. Lawrence's "The Rockinghorse Winner."

In the latter of the two stories, the author comments on the shallowness and the insecurity of the class positions. The main vehicles of expressing these views are the actions and behavior of the main female character, Hester. She portrays one condition of the English social structure: high class with no money. Hester and her family have a high-class position, but do not have the means to live in the extravagant and opulent manner similar to her social counterparts. "She did not consider herself lucky," Lawrence points out, "because she did not have money." Lawrence also indicates that, "she didn't love her children." Thus, Lawrence indicates the shallowness of the class by showing that a lack of money caused a mother to be detached from her family.

In "A Fur Coat," O'Faolin comments on the segment of society that wishes desperately to be rich, a type noveau riche. This social position can be characterized as "money without class." The female protagonist, Paddy Maguire, is given permission by her husband to buy a fur coat. However, her reasons for wanting the fur coat indicate the noveau riche characteristic of their position. She wants it so she can "fit in" with the new society they will associate with, but warns her husband that "I don't want to seem like the noveau riche." Hence, O'Faolin comments on the shallowness and self-consciousness of the lower classes. O'Faolin believe that they think money will move them up the social ladder, but forget that new money cannot mimic old money.

Both, D.H. Lawrence and Shawn O'Faolin, echo a similar disapproval of the rich and those who wish to be rich. In "The Rockinghorse Winner," Paul, Hester's son, dies for the greed and need for extravagance of his mother. Similarly, in "The Fur Coat," the husband becomes confused by his wife's new attitude. Thus, the authors see the two class positions as pretentious or false, wanting that which they can't have.