Week 11: The Lottery
Week 11: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
1. The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. Discuss the purpose of the exposition.
The exposition's purpose could be to emphasize the fact that it's a nice morning, because the lottery is suppose to be a wonderful and pleasant day for everyone. This exposition may want to underline the fact that it's a very special day. The "blossoming" of flowers and the green grass indicate the reader that the scene takes place during summer – and the "fresh warmth" shows that the scene takes place one morning. The purpose of the exposition could be to allow the reader to take part of this special day, the reader can feel …show more content…
the fresh air and can imagine being part of the setting.
2. Describe the activities of the villagers. What is Mrs. Hutchinson doing? What are the little boys doing? What are the men talking about? What does Mr. Summers do?
The little boys were quite happy because school is finish. On june the 27th, first they were talking quietly, then "they broke into boisterous play" and stuffed their pockets with stones. So the boys made great piles of stones in the corner before joining their parents. At the end of the short story the children would throw the stones to Mrs Hutchinson.
The men were gathered, and were talking about their work "surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes" . They were joking but very quietly standing far away the pile of stones. After the men call up their children to join them.
Mrs Hutchinson was late for the lottery, she had forgotten "what day it was".She explained to Mrs Delacroix how she managed to forget. Then Mrs Hutchinson tried to find her husband and children through the crowd, and when she found them "she made her way through the crowd". Mrs Hutchinson was also the one protesting when her husband had the “winner” ticket “it wasn't fair”, “you didn't give him enough time to take any paper he wanted”.
Mr Summer ran a coal business. He chairs the lottery and looks after the black box so no one could cheat. The lottery can't start without him.
3. At one time, some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the lottery, a perfunctory, tuneless chant that had been rattled off duly each year.
A perfunctory action is done quickly and carelessly, and shows lack of interest in what you are doing. What does this statement say about the villagers and about the lottery itself?
We have the impression that the villagers don't really care about the lottery, it has to be quick- the quicker the better it is. It used to be a great special day, now the villagers still celebrate this lottery day but it does seem very important to them, it does look like a celebration to me. They have "forgotten the rituals" of the lottery (line 258) and drop the ritual salute easily (line 79). To emphasize the fact that this tradition isn't very important to them, the writer uses pessimistic adjectives like “tuneless”, “perfunctory” or expressions “some sort” to qualify the recital.
4. "Well, now," Mr. Summers said soberly, "guess we better get started, get this over with, so's we can go back to work. Anybody ain't here?" What seems important for Mr. Summers? What does that say about the Lottery?
The lottery is just a day like another, it feels like an obligation for those villagers. For Mr Summer and for everyone else, it's obvious that what's important is skipping up quickly the lottery so everyone can go back to work. Working is more important than celebrating old traditions like the lottery. Maybe one day in that village the "lottery day" won't exist anymore .
5. Discuss the general mood of the crowd.
The crowd don't look very enthusiastic about the lottery. And when someone has to draw for Danbar, no one excepted one person wants to take his place and this person doesn't look very enthusiastic too " 'me I guess' a woman said". She's not screaming: "it's me!" In fact everyone is quite quiet.
And hardly no one is protesting when Bill Hutchinson takes another ticket "because it was unfair".
6. Explain how the lottery is a ritual, i.e. a ceremonial act, or series of acts.
The lottery use to be a long ritual, there used to be a recital and a ritual salute. But there still is some sort of ceremonial. There's a ritual the day before with the mending of the slips of paper to put in the black box. And there's a ritual the “lottery day”, the ceremonial starts by the stirring of the papers in the black box, then "guess we better get started" followed by the people's name announcement, then everyone opens their papers, the "winner is discovered and the stone feast begins.
7. A scapegoat is a person or group bearing blame for others, who will be punished for the others, and symbolically bears their mistakes, or sin. How is “The Lottery” about scapegoating?
The winner of the lottery is beaten with stones. So in a way the lottery is a way to find a scapegoat. The villagers work a lot and the “lottery day” is a good way for them to relax, to have fun throwing up stones to the “winner”. We notice that no one really wants to be the winner, in fact there isn't any winner, the one who get the ticket is in fact the “looser”. There 's one paper with something written on it and you mustn't have it or you shall be the new scapegoat of the village.
8. When does the reader know the fate of the Lottery “winner”?
(line 258) "the villagers had forgotten the rituals and lost the original box, they still remembered to use the stones" Why is this?
We can feel that something isn't right: What are the stones for? Why did the boys prepared piles of stones? Why isn't Mrs Hutchinson happy to be the great winner? And why hoping that Nancy shouldn't be the winner?
When does the crisis reach its point of greatest intensity?
"It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.
Mrs Hutchinson is the scapegoat and she's going to be beaten with stones
What is the implied reader meant to feel?
What did you feel?
It implied the reader to feel disgusted, to sympathize with Mrs Hutchinson. First I didn't understand if the stone trown to Mrs H's face was an accident or if it was meant to be. When I reread the text I felt sorry for her, and yes "it is unfair" and it isn't right. The villagers look like beasts, we can't do that to someone, I mean stones hurts a lot and they could kill her. This lottery is a very odd and cruel thing.
9. How is “The Lottery” an allegory about society and group activity?
Like Thomas Hobbes says " the man is a wolf to man ", the lottery symbolize the fact that human are capable of the biggest horrors. They could stop this stupid tradition, but they enjoy it, it's so funny to hit someone with stones!
10. What does Shirley Jackson say about “relevance” and about society and “tradition”?
Men don't care about traditions, in fact the “lottery day” is an excuse to go mad and to express your violence. What's good about the lottery is the very end when you through stones to the poor "winner" or "looser". Men in society think about themselves. Working, earning money, is more important than respecting any
traditions.
11. What does the black box symbolize?
The black box could symbolize evil. Thanks to that box a new scapegoat would be designated, and beaten. This black box is like the devil, it designates the new prey. The villagers are it's followers and execute it's orders. The black box is black because it announces a bad news, because it's haunted.
12. If you lived in this village, what would you do?
First I wouldn't like to live in this village but if I had to,I'll try to show them that this tradition is quite bad ... I may die if I say this but anyway I'm not very lucking so I'm pretty sure I'll be the one to have the written paper. Moreover I don't really fancy the idea to beat someone to death and I don't think I could live in town with all these murderers. I just don't want to be part of all this and if I could put an end to all this crap I think I would have a go. Anyway Everyone has to die one day.
13. Gothic tales are characterized by the use of desolate and remote settings, and macabre, mysterious or violent incidents. Explain how “The Lottery” is, in a sense, a gothic tale.
The lottery is suppose to be very exciting and thrilling, who's going to have the good ticket? Who's going to win the jackpot? The written paper is suppose to be a good one, to bring happiness not a way to find a scapegoat and to beat someone up with stones. Here the lottery seems to be the devil, a day that everyone fears, nobody wants to be the "winner" and everyone's scared of having the bad ticket. This ticket decides if you can live or die.
14. Try to imagine what the author Shirley Jackson is like. What would you ask her?
In this short story men look like beasts, they seem to enjoy beating up their neighbours, the villagers seem to be relieved. In this text Shirley Jackson criticises human beings. Does she love and believe in mankind? Are humans all the same beasts to her an why?
15. Is “The Lottery” relevant today? In what contexts is it relevant?
In evryday's life evryone 's always looking for a scapegoat. No one wants to accept that he's wrong and always want to find a culprit. This text is also dealing about doing the same thing as evryone to avoid frustration. The villagers know that the lottery isn't right but they still celebrate it because that the way it is and maybe because if you contest this tradition you'll be the one beaten with stones. So to avoid problems and being killed you just do the same as the others even if it's very bad.
Nowaday people are scared, for example, to take part of demonstrations because they are frightened to loose their jobs or to skip class and to miss their exams. So fewer people demonstrate and nothing changes...
1. The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. Discuss the purpose of the exposition.
The exposition's purpose could be to emphasize the fact that it's a nice morning, because the lottery is suppose to be a wonderful and pleasant day for everyone. This exposition may want to underline the fact that it's a very special day. The "blossoming" of flowers and the green grass indicate the reader that the scene takes place during summer – and the "fresh warmth" shows that the scene takes place one morning. The purpose of the exposition could be to allow the reader to take part of this special day, the reader can feel …show more content…
the fresh air and can imagine being part of the setting.
2. Describe the activities of the villagers. What is Mrs. Hutchinson doing? What are the little boys doing? What are the men talking about? What does Mr. Summers do?
The little boys were quite happy because school is finish. On june the 27th, first they were talking quietly, then "they broke into boisterous play" and stuffed their pockets with stones. So the boys made great piles of stones in the corner before joining their parents. At the end of the short story the children would throw the stones to Mrs Hutchinson.
The men were gathered, and were talking about their work "surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes" . They were joking but very quietly standing far away the pile of stones. After the men call up their children to join them.
Mrs Hutchinson was late for the lottery, she had forgotten "what day it was".She explained to Mrs Delacroix how she managed to forget. Then Mrs Hutchinson tried to find her husband and children through the crowd, and when she found them "she made her way through the crowd". Mrs Hutchinson was also the one protesting when her husband had the “winner” ticket “it wasn't fair”, “you didn't give him enough time to take any paper he wanted”.
Mr Summer ran a coal business. He chairs the lottery and looks after the black box so no one could cheat. The lottery can't start without him.
3. At one time, some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the lottery, a perfunctory, tuneless chant that had been rattled off duly each year.
A perfunctory action is done quickly and carelessly, and shows lack of interest in what you are doing. What does this statement say about the villagers and about the lottery itself?
We have the impression that the villagers don't really care about the lottery, it has to be quick- the quicker the better it is. It used to be a great special day, now the villagers still celebrate this lottery day but it does seem very important to them, it does look like a celebration to me. They have "forgotten the rituals" of the lottery (line 258) and drop the ritual salute easily (line 79). To emphasize the fact that this tradition isn't very important to them, the writer uses pessimistic adjectives like “tuneless”, “perfunctory” or expressions “some sort” to qualify the recital.
4. "Well, now," Mr. Summers said soberly, "guess we better get started, get this over with, so's we can go back to work. Anybody ain't here?" What seems important for Mr. Summers? What does that say about the Lottery?
The lottery is just a day like another, it feels like an obligation for those villagers. For Mr Summer and for everyone else, it's obvious that what's important is skipping up quickly the lottery so everyone can go back to work. Working is more important than celebrating old traditions like the lottery. Maybe one day in that village the "lottery day" won't exist anymore .
5. Discuss the general mood of the crowd.
The crowd don't look very enthusiastic about the lottery. And when someone has to draw for Danbar, no one excepted one person wants to take his place and this person doesn't look very enthusiastic too " 'me I guess' a woman said". She's not screaming: "it's me!" In fact everyone is quite quiet.
And hardly no one is protesting when Bill Hutchinson takes another ticket "because it was unfair".
6. Explain how the lottery is a ritual, i.e. a ceremonial act, or series of acts.
The lottery use to be a long ritual, there used to be a recital and a ritual salute. But there still is some sort of ceremonial. There's a ritual the day before with the mending of the slips of paper to put in the black box. And there's a ritual the “lottery day”, the ceremonial starts by the stirring of the papers in the black box, then "guess we better get started" followed by the people's name announcement, then everyone opens their papers, the "winner is discovered and the stone feast begins.
7. A scapegoat is a person or group bearing blame for others, who will be punished for the others, and symbolically bears their mistakes, or sin. How is “The Lottery” about scapegoating?
The winner of the lottery is beaten with stones. So in a way the lottery is a way to find a scapegoat. The villagers work a lot and the “lottery day” is a good way for them to relax, to have fun throwing up stones to the “winner”. We notice that no one really wants to be the winner, in fact there isn't any winner, the one who get the ticket is in fact the “looser”. There 's one paper with something written on it and you mustn't have it or you shall be the new scapegoat of the village.
8. When does the reader know the fate of the Lottery “winner”?
(line 258) "the villagers had forgotten the rituals and lost the original box, they still remembered to use the stones" Why is this?
We can feel that something isn't right: What are the stones for? Why did the boys prepared piles of stones? Why isn't Mrs Hutchinson happy to be the great winner? And why hoping that Nancy shouldn't be the winner?
When does the crisis reach its point of greatest intensity?
"It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.
Mrs Hutchinson is the scapegoat and she's going to be beaten with stones
What is the implied reader meant to feel?
What did you feel?
It implied the reader to feel disgusted, to sympathize with Mrs Hutchinson. First I didn't understand if the stone trown to Mrs H's face was an accident or if it was meant to be. When I reread the text I felt sorry for her, and yes "it is unfair" and it isn't right. The villagers look like beasts, we can't do that to someone, I mean stones hurts a lot and they could kill her. This lottery is a very odd and cruel thing.
9. How is “The Lottery” an allegory about society and group activity?
Like Thomas Hobbes says " the man is a wolf to man ", the lottery symbolize the fact that human are capable of the biggest horrors. They could stop this stupid tradition, but they enjoy it, it's so funny to hit someone with stones!
10. What does Shirley Jackson say about “relevance” and about society and “tradition”?
Men don't care about traditions, in fact the “lottery day” is an excuse to go mad and to express your violence. What's good about the lottery is the very end when you through stones to the poor "winner" or "looser". Men in society think about themselves. Working, earning money, is more important than respecting any
traditions.
11. What does the black box symbolize?
The black box could symbolize evil. Thanks to that box a new scapegoat would be designated, and beaten. This black box is like the devil, it designates the new prey. The villagers are it's followers and execute it's orders. The black box is black because it announces a bad news, because it's haunted.
12. If you lived in this village, what would you do?
First I wouldn't like to live in this village but if I had to,I'll try to show them that this tradition is quite bad ... I may die if I say this but anyway I'm not very lucking so I'm pretty sure I'll be the one to have the written paper. Moreover I don't really fancy the idea to beat someone to death and I don't think I could live in town with all these murderers. I just don't want to be part of all this and if I could put an end to all this crap I think I would have a go. Anyway Everyone has to die one day.
13. Gothic tales are characterized by the use of desolate and remote settings, and macabre, mysterious or violent incidents. Explain how “The Lottery” is, in a sense, a gothic tale.
The lottery is suppose to be very exciting and thrilling, who's going to have the good ticket? Who's going to win the jackpot? The written paper is suppose to be a good one, to bring happiness not a way to find a scapegoat and to beat someone up with stones. Here the lottery seems to be the devil, a day that everyone fears, nobody wants to be the "winner" and everyone's scared of having the bad ticket. This ticket decides if you can live or die.
14. Try to imagine what the author Shirley Jackson is like. What would you ask her?
In this short story men look like beasts, they seem to enjoy beating up their neighbours, the villagers seem to be relieved. In this text Shirley Jackson criticises human beings. Does she love and believe in mankind? Are humans all the same beasts to her an why?
15. Is “The Lottery” relevant today? In what contexts is it relevant?
In evryday's life evryone 's always looking for a scapegoat. No one wants to accept that he's wrong and always want to find a culprit. This text is also dealing about doing the same thing as evryone to avoid frustration. The villagers know that the lottery isn't right but they still celebrate it because that the way it is and maybe because if you contest this tradition you'll be the one beaten with stones. So to avoid problems and being killed you just do the same as the others even if it's very bad.
Nowaday people are scared, for example, to take part of demonstrations because they are frightened to loose their jobs or to skip class and to miss their exams. So fewer people demonstrate and nothing changes...