Motifs are an important element to develop themes in stories. The magic behind motifs is that depending on how the author uses it they can help develop different themes in different ways. As seen in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe‚ “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor‚ where three different authors use death that can be interpreted to develop different themes. In “The Cask of Amontillado” the theme revenge can be perceived with Montresor’s
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Throughout the story of “The Lottery”‚ author Shirley Jackson uses an ironic tone. From the reader point of view‚ a lottery is special grand prize‚ not a twisted turn of events which involves death. The use of irony prepares the readers for the most dramatic reaction. Shirley Jackson sets the most obvious use of irony from the beginning. From the first impression of the readers‚ the lottery is a cash prize. As the plot ticking’s‚ Jackson played on the belief and turned it to the complete opposite
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Jackson’s “The Lottery‚” a “lottery” is a tradition which takes place each year where the whole town gathers and the man of the house takes a folded slip from a black box. Once each man has a slip‚ they are allowed to unfold the paper‚ the man with a dot on his paper would then have his whole family take part in the process. After the whole family had chosen a slip the person with the dot would be stoned to death. The title is misleading considering the literal meaning of lottery is a distribution
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The Lottery The story takes place in a small village‚ where the people are close and tradition is paramount. A yearly event‚ called the lottery‚ is one in which one person in the town is randomly chosen‚ by a drawing‚ to be violently stoned by friends and family. The drawing has been around over seventy-seven years and is practiced by every member of the town. Shirley is very natural to the characters and the event. We don’t get any information about what she thinks about the situation‚ and she
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the Lottery all those years?” I said to myself. “Now I know how it felt to be the family who got chosen to do the Lottery and sacrifice one of their family members for this tradition that no longer has a purpose.” Suddenly‚ this anger‚ frustration built up inside me made me yell‚ “You didn’t give him enough time to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair‚” to Mr. Summers. Mrs. Delacroix replied‚ “Be a good sport‚ Tessie.” Bill Hutchinson said‚ “Shut up‚ Tessie.”
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When you think of a lottery you really think of money and happiness. Technically speaking‚ on September 13‚ 2004 Tessie Hutchinson was killed after being stoned to death in Charlestone‚ New York. On the 13th the townspeople & other residents gathered around for their annual “Lottery”. Mr. Summers who runs the lottery made sure that everyone was there and everyone was going to get a card. But this was no ordinary lottery‚ when you grabbed your card and you did not had a black-dot on it you were
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When one thinks of a lottery‚ they imagine winning a large sum of money. Shirley Jackson uses the setting in The Lottery to foreshadow an ironic ending. The peaceful and tranquil town described in this story has an annual lottery‚ and you can’t possibly guess what the "prize" is The author foreshadows an ironic ending at the very beginning by establishing a cheerful setting. The story occurs "around ten o’clock" on June twenty-seventh‚ a time of day that is very bright and joyous and a time
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Shirley Jackson’s‚ The Lottery‚ has raised questions in the back of every reader’s mind towards the destructive yet blind rituals of mankind. A reflection of ourselves is what we see when looking through the pond of Jackson’s mind. The Lottery clearly expressed Jackson’s feelings concerning traditional rituals through her story‚ opened the eyes of its readers to properly classify and question some of today’s traditions as cruel‚ and allowed room to foretell the outcome
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Symbolism in “The Lottery” The definition of the word lottery is a process or happening that is or seems to be determined by chance. In the story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson‚ the author takes this to an extreme level. She uses various symbols to portray this grim story. By using symbols such as the black box‚ the last names‚ the children‚ and the stones‚ we will clearly see the importance of symbolism in this story and in literature today. The 1st symbol that is predominantly used throughout
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of the lottery is a theme not directly answered throughout the short story. However the motif of tradition revolves around the course of the lottery triggering debates on whether some controversial traditions should be changed or even abolished. Our forefathers created many traditions around the world centuries ago‚ which leaves less debate on whether these traditions are ethical. The effects of these traditions leave sometimes damaging legacies on our behaviour as humans. In “The Lottery”‚ the effects
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