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The Lottery And The Most Dangerous Game Comparison Essay

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The Lottery And The Most Dangerous Game Comparison Essay
There are many comparisons and contrasts to be made between Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.” The purpose of this paper will be to compare and contrast different elements of both these stories, but the main focus will be on the characters and the setting. In “The Lottery” and “The Most Dangerous Game” the characters are portrayed as normal human beings with normal behaviors, but as both stories unfold, the characters are shown to be evil.The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell and The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson share a common theme which is showing the darker side of humans, that humans possess evil tendencies and that the morals of people can be corrupted. Connell and Jackson show us that …show more content…
In “The Lottery” the narrator describes the setting as a beautiful, warm summer day where the town’s people are gathering for what seems to be a typical social event. The reader anticipates a positive outcome as the narrator describes the day and the characters dispositions. However as the story reaches its climax, the reader realizes that the outcome is not positive at all. The winner of the lottery is to be stoned to death. The author’s intention of this story shows how people become blind to the outcomes of their traditions because of their obsession with traditions. In Richard Connell’s, “The Most Dangerous Game” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” the characters are portrayed as normal human beings with normal behaviors, but as both stories unfold, the characters are shown to be evil with an enjoyment for murder. In “The Most Dangerous Game” humans are hunted, as mere animals, to serve as the perfect prey to satisfy a desire for challenge. In “The Lottery” the townspeople are forced to participate in a ritual that will result in the death of an unwilling participant to satisfy a belief that the sacrifice of one of their own will guarantee a bountiful harvest. By comparison, the elements of violence and cruelty demonstrate the self-centeredness that abounds in each

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