The "Lottery"

1. Were you surprised by the ending of the story? If not, at what point did you know what was going to happen? How does Jackson start to foreshadow the ending in paragraphs 2 and 3? Conversely, how does Jackson lull us into thinking that this is just an ordinary story with an ordinary town? Yes, I was very surprised. People start to become tense. Because in the beginning the kids are just collecting rocks and playing and act like it’s a normal day.

2. Where does the story take place? In what way does the setting affect the story? Does it make you more or less likely to anticipate the ending? It takes place in a town. The setting makes the story sound like an ordinary place, nothing special. I believe it made me less likely to anticipate the ending.

3. In what ways are the characters differentiated from one another? Looking back at the story, can you see why Tessie Hutchinson is singled out as the "winner"?  Everyone was kind of quiet and such and Tessie was loud and kept saying that the lottery shouldn’t happen anymore.

4. What are some examples of irony in this story? For example, why might the title, "The Lottery," or the opening description in paragraph one, be considered ironic? It is ironic because a lottery is something that you want to win and have but in this case you do not want it at all.

5. Jackson gives interesting names to a number of her characters. Explain the possible allusions, irony or symbolism of some of these:

 Delacroix- The name means cross. The cross stands for religious turmoil

 

 Graves- Grave as in death, which it going to be afflicted on someone

 

 Summers- Summer is usually and happy and joyful time and in this case it is not

 

 Bentham

 

 Hutchinson

 Warner- He believes tradition should stay tradition

 Martin

7. Take a close look at Jackson's description of the black wooden box (paragraph 5) and of the black spot on the fatal slip of paper. What do these objects suggest to you? Why is the black box described as "battered"? Are there any other symbols in the story? Both of the objects were black or had black on it. When I think of black I think of death, such as a funeral. The box is battered to show that this is tradition that has been going on for many, many years. The rocks

 

8. What do you understand to be the writer's own attitude toward the lottery and the stoning? Exactly what in the story makes her attitude clear to us? In the whole story there are little parts where it talks about how the other towns have stopped with the “Lottery” and that times have changed and the town needs to too. I believe that the writer was trying to say that the “lottery” needs to end.

9. This story satirizes a number of social issues, including the reluctance of people to reject outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices. What kinds of traditions, practices, laws, etc. might "The Lottery" represent? Just because it is a tradition does not mean that it is right and that it should stay. It represents traditions that need to get rid of.

10. This story was published in 1948, just after World War II. What other cultural or historical events, attitudes, institutions, or rituals might Jackson be satirizing in this story? The war and the holocaust


In a minimum of 200 words answer the following:  What does "The Lottery" tell us about human nature?  What does it say to us about violence?

In the lottery, there are the people that want to stray from tradition and then there are people who are hard core and want to stick to the traditions that have always been even if it does not apply to anything in the new day and age. The reason for the whole lottery is for a myth that does not even work. They want a good harvest. Instead of calling it a lottery and sacrificing someone’s life, they should give it up because they know better. It does not work but people are afraid to stray from everything they have known. If the lottery represents WWII, it shows that people do not want to stray from war because it has always been. It is not so much a tradition but something that has always happened and been done. Even if it is violent, they think it is fine because it is what the people have always done.