Stoning

peoples’ bloodthirstiness is what keeps the lottery alive. Right in the beginning the children are making “a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys” (Jackson 1). The children are eager for the stoning. They seem to know nothing about the ritual except that stones are a must. While the children are collecting stones, the townspeople seem to be making idle conversation. The atmosphere doesn’t seem to be of a close net community.…

“The Lottery”, written by Shirley Jackson, is a fictional story set in a society of farming and tradition. The lottery, an annual event in the story, is dark and barbaric; this illustrates the negative side of tradition in a seemingly beautiful community. The illusion of a purity and beauty is portrayed in the description of the setting and by the character’s names and dialog. After reading the story a second time it becomes apparent that the scene and characters created a sense of irony to the…

Throughout the history of mankind there have been instances of people blindly following traditions and the influence of certain leaders. These instances range anywhere from a family not knowing why they put up a Christmas tree or why they hunt Easter eggs to more radical examples like certain citizens of Germany blindly following the teachings and leadership of Hitler. While some of these traditions and actions are practically harmless others, like following Hitler, can lead to injuries or even…

Taking the Same Chance: A Formal Approach to “The Lottery” How would one handle the knowledge that today was the day in which someone amongst the community, including oneself, would undoubtedly die? In Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery” tradition calls for an annual sacrifice in order to keep a town’s crops plentiful. While this may seem extreme, the idea of allowing such things to continue based on the notion that it is the way things have always been done is none too absent in most areas of the…

Stoning people is a very violent punishment. Although in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson it isn’t a punishment it is a community activity. The story The Lottery started on June 27th, which is after school gets out for the summer so all the children are able to attend and participate and so can the teachers and wife’s. It usually took 2 days, but this village was small enough that they were able to get it done in a few hours. In the story everyone in the town gathers for the lottery. All the…

Serendipity “The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way” is the dictionary definition of serendipity. Many people’s lives are changed for the better because of serendipitous moments. For example, a chance meeting in a coffee shop could find you face to face with your true love. Being in the right place at the right time can change the course of one’s life. However, being in the wrong place at the wrong time can create a life of chaos, or even the tragic, and…

was reading the text, I had a presentiment of uncertainty. Then, I took my time to read it and now, I think it’s clearer in my head. Normally, the lottery is a fun event, but not in this short story. It really surprised me that we are talking about stoning and death at the end of it. I think the author wanted us to understand what was really happening, only in the end. At the beginning, all the families seem to be normal, even the concept of the lottery seem normal too, and then the author…

The Lottery This short story begins with a scene in a small village of polite folks gathering together for an event that happens every year in the town square. The reader is introduced to an enlightening story which gives the idea that someone will end up winning a grand prize. Instead, this lottery is held in the village in which one person will end their life by being stoned to death. For seventy years, this lottery has been held in the town square. Shirley Jackson uses setting, symbolism…

In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery, the author creates a story with symbolism, irony, and a ritualized tradition that masks evil, which demonstrates how people blindly follow tradition. Shirley Jacksons suggest about tradition that the lottery is part of the villager traditional life and still hold meaning to them in a way. “By withholding information until the last possible second, Jackson builds the stories suspense and creates a shocking, powerful conclusion” (Fomeshi, Behnam). Jackson uses…

with a blissful beginning, pleasant villagers, and unsuspicious events that never hint a tragic storyline. Only after the shocking realization, readers begin to understand the frenzy behind the lottery, but are still aghast as they read about the stoning of Mrs. Hutchinson, the lottery’s “chosen one”. Undoubtedly, the violence and the senselessness of the kill support the story’s theme: traditions should not be blindly followed, especially if they could lead to any inequality. Thus, “The…