Literary Analysis Essay: The Lottery “The Lottery‚” written by Shirley Jackson‚ is a short story about a strange annual ritual that takes place in a small village in New England. At the beginning of the story the day is described as “clear and sunny‚ with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” This pleasant sensory description leads one to believe that this will be a day of happiness. Every year on June 27th all the villagers
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The Lottery A healthy harvest has always been important to civilizations. Once field preparation is done‚ the farmer can only wait and hope that the correct balance of rain and sun will ensure a good harvest. Many ancient cultures believed that growing crops represented the life cycle; hence they believed ritual sacrifice was needed to guarantee a good crop. In this short story "The Lottery‚" Shirley Jackson uses this archetype to showcase man ’s inherent need for such ritual. The story is set
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desire to be the next winner of the lottery. The lottery is a tradition in our country‚ a tradition that has led to thousands of winners who are deemed “the lucky ones.” However‚ is following tradition always a good thing? Are the winners of this desirable lottery always so lucky? Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” employs a detached‚ unique tone and utilizes ambiguous symbolism to reveal the inhumanity of mindlessly following societal tradition. “The Lottery” commences on the morning of June 27th
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Paul Fallon Professor Vladick College Writing II 27 March 2013 The Lottery Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is a short story about a small village that has an event every year called the lottery. Jackson does not let the reader know right away about the irony of the lottery; it is not something the villagers would want to win. Jackson does not give away the consequences of the lottery until the end of the story. Jackson applies some strong literacy devices in her story. She manages to manipulate
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English 101 The Lottery In life‚ we as people are hesitant about change. We often think “this is the way it has always been”‚ or “why change now” But‚ is this always a good attitude to have? The Lottery‚ written by Shirley Jackson in 1948‚ shows how reluctant townspeople are to reject outdated traditions and ideas even though they are considered evil and unnecessary by others. While gathering in the town square for the annual summer lottery‚ conversations began amongst the people about other
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The Lottery Conformity or Pure Selfishness “The opposite for courage is not cowardice‚ it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow”-Jim Hightower. Have you ever been in a situation to where you know a person or a group is doing something wrong‚ but you choose not to do anything about it? Have you ever done something wrong for so long that it suddenly became a lifestyle for you? Jackson’s story‚ “The Lottery”‚ when it comes to being in the wrong or not speaking up‚ reminds me
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When Shirley Jackson wrote “The Lottery” she received many letters from many horrified readers who were shocked by the seemingly realness of the story. Although the short story was fictional‚ the characters and situations the story symbolized were very much real. Jackson uses this symbolism to help convey her message: traditions should not be allowed to be unexamined and unchanged. One character‚ for whom the symbolism is so deep that she dies as a result of it‚ is Tessie Hutchinson
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Rosezanne Cox Ms. Sarhan 15 November 2013 The Lottery (1948) After reading the Lottery‚ the greatest downfall of this society is clinging to old traditions‚ which makes it impossible for an entire community to progress. The village people are convinced to conduct the lottery in June in order to have a prosperous year. However‚ many nearby villages have eliminated the practice and numerous young adults have advocated for the brutal acts towards an innocent human being. Because the village
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Comp. II The Lottery In the short story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson the reader finds a small town that has an annual lottery in which everyone is a part of. Men‚ women‚ and children of all ages are to participate in this gathering. In this short story the context is significantly similar to that of the video and give the reader a good and clear picture of what truly goes on. The lottery takes place in a small farm town with about 300 residents who are eager to attend the lottery and see who
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The Lottery The specific details Jackson describes in the beginning of “The Lottery” set us up for the shocking conclusion. In the first paragraph‚ Jackson provides specific details about the day on which the lottery takes place. She tells us the date (June 27)‚ time (about 10 A.M.)‚ and temperature (warm). She describes the scene exactly: there are flowers and green grass‚ and the town square‚ where everyone gathers‚ is between the bank and post office. She provides specifics about the town
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