often said that there is strength in numbers. While it is true that a large group of people has more power than an individual‚ a single person within a large group will almost always conform in some way. This weakens the individual and leads to fewer new ideas in order to maintain group status and agreement. Many times‚ rituals or ideas are allowed and accepted just because they are favored by a majority or have been part of that society for so long that they have become almost like a tradition. In
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty By Derek Pruestel Have you ever daydreamed about being a pilot or doctor‚ or anything more exciting than what you were doing? The titular protagonist of James Thurber’s short story‚ “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” sure has. The story is about a man who is bored with the dull tasks of his average life. He runs errands‚ brings his wife to salons‚ and reads newspapers. He tries to escape his boring reality by daydreaming of more intense and dangerous situations
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townspeople were excited to announce the annual lottery day. The children would go and gather stones for the upcoming event. The tone of cheerfulness was achieved by creating imagery of children expressing their joy like their parents bought them a new costume for Halloween. In fact‚ the annual lottery day was like Halloween for
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In Shirley Jackson’s short story "The Lottery"‚ she uses many literary devices. However the most prevalent are irony and symbolism. Jackson uses irony and symbolism to illustrate the underlying darker theme not evident in the beginning of the short story. The use of irony is in almost every paragraph. Even the title of the story is ironic because it represents something positive but in the end the reader finds the true meaning of the title to be negative. "Part of the horrific effect of Jackson’s
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The box represents the tradition of the lottery and the loyalty to it by the villagers. The story states that “Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box‚ but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box”. The black box is falling apart and not completely black anymore after years of use‚ but the villagers refuse to alter it. The only reason the villagers have
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A Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of It’s Parts The opinions and expressions within society are quick to change when given specific circumstances. Often‚ individuals are likely to go with social trends and ideas to fit in‚ rather than standing out on their own. Even if that trend forgoes their personal values and beliefs‚ most would rather follow through than risk becoming an outcast. The following pieces of work: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson‚ “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka and “The Rise
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The short story‚ "The Lottery‚" by Shirley Jackson is one pf the most shocking stories I have ever read. It caused controversy when it was published in a New York newspaper and for good reason. The ending is very unsettling and I would even categorize it as a horror story. The picture the story paints prepares you for the exact opposite of what actually happens‚ making this a confusing‚ yet unforgettable story. It is hard to figure out what the message is in this story. Starting from the beginning
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develop unheralded confidence‚ a trait he could only daydream of prior. When boarding the helicopter‚ Walter has second thoughts about commencing this journey‚ as he feels fearful of going to the unknown. Imagining Cheryl reminds him of his lifestyle in New York‚ and by getting on the helicopter would be fighting for that life. If he didn’t get on that helicopter he would be letting go of the life he was so familiar with‚ he would be losing control of the world he
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7 April 2014 In John Cheever’s short story “The Swimmer‚” a swimming pool represents much more than a fun summer afternoon. When Cheever’s main character‚ Ned Merrill‚ decides to take the long way home by swimming through every pool on his way home‚ he journeys through much more than swimming pools. As the story progresses‚ it becomes clear that a large amount of time has lapsed since the swimmer began his journey back home‚ and that his swims are interconnected with his life as an alcoholic
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original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago” (1238). It shows even though the original box had been lost‚ the old tradition has never changed and questioned. Also‚ she states‚ “Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box‚ but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box” (1238). Based on this description‚ she shows people in the town do not want to change their old tradition and want to settle for the present without any wiliness
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