Short story the lottery analysis. Analysis of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson 2022-10-25

Short story the lottery analysis Rating: 8,9/10 1693 reviews

The short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a disturbing and shocking tale about the dangers of blindly following tradition. Set in a small village in rural America, the story follows the annual tradition of the lottery, in which a member of the community is chosen to be stoned to death by their neighbors.

At first glance, the lottery seems like a harmless tradition, something that has been passed down for generations and is simply a part of village life. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that the lottery is a barbaric and cruel practice that serves no purpose other than to appease the villagers' fear of change.

One of the most striking aspects of the story is the way in which the villagers go about their preparations for the lottery. They seem almost cheerful and excited as they gather stones and draw slips of paper, with no sense of the gravity of the situation. This lack of awareness and empathy is chilling, as it shows how deeply ingrained the tradition is in the villagers' psyche and how easily they can justify violence and murder.

The main character of the story is Tessie Hutchinson, who is chosen as the victim of the lottery. Tessie's reaction to her fate is one of the most powerful and poignant moments in the story. As she realizes that she is about to be stoned to death by her own neighbors, Tessie pleads for mercy and begs for the lottery to be stopped. However, her cries fall on deaf ears, as the villagers are too caught up in the tradition to listen to reason.

One of the most poignant themes of "The Lottery" is the dangers of blindly following tradition. The villagers are so entrenched in their way of life that they are willing to sacrifice a member of their own community without question. This kind of unquestioning adherence to tradition can be dangerous, as it can lead to harmful and destructive behaviors.

In conclusion, "The Lottery" is a thought-provoking and unsettling tale that serves as a warning against the dangers of blindly following tradition. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of questioning authority and standing up for what is right, even when it goes against the norm.

Analysis Of The Film And Short Story "The Lottery" By Shirley Jackson: Free Essay Example, 500 words

short story the lottery analysis

Jackson builds the sense of looming horror as the story approaches its close. Learn to summarize The Lottery, analyze the author's use of foreshadowing and explore some of its major themes. Nancy and Bill Jr. Indeed, the lottery and the repetitive comments of Mrs. On that day of the lottery which is the special day, the people in the town perform a lot of activities, such young boys, gathering stones, as women gossiping and kids playing with one another. The atmosphere was quite scarce and stiff in the moment of the lottery.

Next

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Summary & Analysis

short story the lottery analysis

However, in this story the lottery is not the as usual lottery; when start drawn lottery people are quit, nervous because this lottery can not bring any happiness; it gives people one kind of punishment, and the punishment is having to be die. The kind of evil and malevolence presented in this short story goes beyond human violence since all is done calmly and in unity. Graves made the papers the night before and then locked up the box at Mr. For the villagers, the lottery demonstrates the organization and power of society—that is, a group of people submitting to shared rules in exchange for protection and support. How every year lottery drawn creates a violence in this village. Summers name goes hand and hand with the time of year and the setting that the scene takes place.

Next

The Lottery: Symbolism, Analysis, Irony, & Theme

short story the lottery analysis

Other communities have gone further and halted the practice altogether, but others think the community will come to ruin by giving up the traditional ceremony. Essentially, the central theme comes down to how Old Man Warner feels about the lottery. In other words, people forget what is the difference between good or bad and right or wrong. Learn More As Marshall 3 suggests, the use of protagonism in this short story is a real reflection of how people are deeply engraved in hypocrisy and wickedness. Unfortunately, the reality of the lottery is far different from the dream. Finally, when Tessie's children reveal that they have not been chosen, they both 'beam and laugh,' glossing over the fact that it means death for another family member.


Next

Literary Analysis Of The Short Story The Lottery By Shirley Jackson: [Essay Example], 907 words GradesFixer

short story the lottery analysis

In this story the lottery we can see Tessie Hutchinson got the lottery and villagers got ready to hit within stone. The fact that the community unquestioningly accepts the barbaric practice of sacrificing a member to guarantee a successful harvest indicates that no one is willing to stand alone against the crowd. Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. Old Man Warner's recollection that it is meant to produce a bountiful corn crop shows that it is likely a fertility ritual or perhaps a rainmaker. New Jersey: Bantam Publishing Co. Summers as the officiator of the lottery.

Next

The Lottery: Full Plot Summary

short story the lottery analysis

The villagers still used the stones even though they had forgotten the ritual and lost the box. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Characters The lottery is administered by Mr. Once everyone gathers, every family draws a slip of paper out of an old black box, and the family with the black mark on their paper gets picked. What do the differences in these scenes say about the people involved? Jackson shows how difficult it is to give up a tradition when everyone else conforms to it. Not one human being was born with evil intentions.

Next

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

short story the lottery analysis

The author used tender terms and relatable situations heavily influencing the reader to infer a specific outcome of the story, only to completely catch the reader by surprise with a dark, horrid, and ultimately realistic theme. Even though the end was unfair because one of them was stoned to death by randomly picking a black dot. It can also be related to the society we live in nowadays. These are the same stones the boys had gathered in the story's opening paragraphs. In fact, the setting is pointedly vague, as though it could take place anywhere, anytime. The lottery involves organizing the village by household, which reinforces the importance of family structures here. Tessie Hutchinson is a friend of those gathered for the lottery, yet they are willing to stone her to death because of their blind obedience to a meaningless tradition.

Next

"The Lottery" Literary Analysis Essay

short story the lottery analysis

Parents call their children over, and families stand together. A ritual salute had also been used, but now Mr. Many lotteries are set up in such a way that it is nearly impossible to win without spending a lot of money on tickets. Dunbar says that her son Horace is only sixteen, so she will draw on behalf of her family this year. The story takes place in a small village in the United States, where the residents have a tradition of holding a lottery each year. Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. Much of the original ritual of the lottery has been forgotten, and one change that was made was Mr.


Next

Short Story Analysis of "The Lottery"

short story the lottery analysis

For the rest of the year, the box is stored in Mr. A normal lottery would cause for celebration and excitement, but no one wanted to win this lottery. The citizens are naturally concerned about the danger the lottery represents to their own lives, yet no one is willing to go against the mob psychology. Village children, who have just finished school for the summer, run around collecting stones. The community uses the lottery to pick one person for a sacrifice.

Next