Controversy In The Lottery

Words: 1059
Pages: 5
Open Document
Marissa Garcia
Mr. Wells
English 4-AP
21 April 2017

Controversy In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson In “ The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, there are many reference to history along with controversial topics and actions. The topics addressed in the story involve conformity, tradition, rituals, and horror. The short story incorporates morbid history and showcases conformity between other people. By exploring other references we can better understand the work as a whole and how the author pieced the story together. When analysing “ The Lottery” the story is found to be a simple story yet very complexed. Every detail has a meaning behind it and is history in the story for a reason.

Conformity- In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, The act to …show more content…
Rituals are seen as positive and beneficial to the person or community doing them. In “1984” the citizens have to follow a routine or daily rituals told to them by big brother and the other leaders everyday. The ritual of the lottery is once every year instead of daily and was most likely brought upon by former government. The reason of the ritual in the story is more selfish compared to the Aztecs, in the Aztec society “...the act of sacrifice...was a strictly ritualized process...regarded as a necessity to ensure mankind's continued prosperity”(Cartwright). The ritual of the lottery is an example from the aztecs but also completely different in terms of belief and …show more content…
The horror of kids being placed as a sacrifice against their parents is striking and very cold. Bill pulls his three children in and the different ages dont matter to the citizens or the parents. The act of conformity is morbid as “friends” and family don't stand up for the children. The traditional ritual of sacrifice is chilling to observe and be a part of. The Aztec sacrifices were known as “...bloodthirsty…”(Cartwright), the thought of the townsfolk being eager to stone Tessie is seen as bloodthirsty. The conformity of the story being close to the “Crucible” is morbid, but brings out a historical understanding of the sacrifice. The people who are born into the lottery have no right to decide if they want to participate, or they can't speak out so the conformed because that is what they were brought into and the ones coming in don't know any other way of life. The horror of the lottery hasn't been changed because of tradition and it will probably never be
Show More

Related Documents: Controversy In The Lottery

Essay on WInner or Loser

Schwaeber FYS-102-DL2A: First Year Seminar Adjunct Professor Camille A. Kramer March 16, 2017 Abstract “The Lottery” is a short story written by Shirley Jackson. It was first published in “The New Yorker” in 1948. The morbid subject matter caused much controversy, but is considered to be her most famous work. In this paper, I examine the irony of the story. The word lottery typically means you’ve won something good, or of value, however here it refers to a gruesome public stoning of an…

Words 761 - Pages 4

What Is The Symbolism In The Lottery

underpinnings of one of Jackson’s most prominent story “The Lottery” signify a piece that is greater than the story as a whole. In fact, the story was so great that it sparked great controversy among the readers, many of whom exclaimed their disbelief of the characters’ actions and the cynical meaning of the story. Published in the midst of the Cold War, the story recounts a summer’s day in a small village where a lottery is about to commence. This lottery is held every year and the winner is stoned to death…

Words 120 - Pages 1

Analyzing Short Stories: Don T Win This Lottery

November 26, 2017 Analyzing Short Stories Don’t Win This Lottery "The Lottery" was published in June 28, 1948. Jackson had written this story only three weeks prior to that. This date plays a vital role in comprehending the community which Jackson was living in and the effect that the historical time had on "The Lottery." "The Lottery" was sometimes seen to be questionable by most of its readers. There was a great deal of controversy over the meaning of the story. Readers often were disappointed…

Words 623 - Pages 3

American Flag Stand For Tolerance Quote Analysis

different from others. "The Lottery" By, Shirley Jackson, "Texas v. Johnson Majority Opinion" By, William J. Brennan, and "American Flag Stands for Tolerance" By, Ronald J. Allen, are all related to one quote. In the first story "The Lottey" people feel like they want to give up the lottery because they don't accept what happens. On page 30 Lines 192-193, "that over in the north village they're talking about giving up the lottery." The north village doesn't accept how the lottery is. Since they don’t…

Words 592 - Pages 3

Texas Vs Johnson Character Analysis

"Texas v. Johnson Majority Opinion, The Lottery, and My So-Called Enemy," many of the characters deal with others who aren't similar to them differently. The authors use their characters to fully express their views. Some have shown diverse acceptance to other people's views, but some don't and even try to discriminate. After reading, the characters in Texas v. Johnson are accepting of people who have different opinions on a specific topic such as controversy. The most notable character who expressed…

Words 823 - Pages 4

Shirley Jackson Bibliography

of what happened to her in high school of being rejected by the sorority is what made her write “The Lottery”. Shirley Jackson was one of the most notorious American cryptic writers of the twentieth century. Jackson could weave a story using themes of evil, violence, and victimization and make it all seem somehow normal. It was with these themes that Jackson wrote such shocking tales as The Lottery, The Haunting of Hill House, The Hangsaman, Louisa, Please Come Home, and The Bird's Nest. Not only…

Words 1716 - Pages 7

Essay on shirley Jackson

young teenager the family decided to move to Rochester and this is where she felt like an outsider and felt rejected. Some say that because of what happened to her in high school of being rejected by the sorority is what made her write “The Lottery”. “The Lottery’ was first published in The New Yorker on the June 26th, 1948 issue, and boy did it ever stir the pot. There was “an unprecedented outpouring of fury, horror, rage, disgust, and intense fascination” (Oppenheimer 128). This story was “in…

Words 1859 - Pages 8

Waiting For Superman

the documentary “Waiting for Superman” The film follows five children on their journey to win the lottery and gain a place at a charter school. The students and their parents (or, in one case, grandmother) tell, sometimes tearfully, of their fear of being left out and forced to attend the failing public school in their area. The movie culminates with an emotional, tense scene during which the lottery numbers are called as students and families await their educational fate.Consistently in America,…

Words 541 - Pages 3

Good Luck Definition

Good luck happens to all of us each day. From winning lotterys’ or just finding a plain dollar on the street.The number 7 is even considered a lucky number. All these examples are very lucky but, are they considered fate? In the book, Lizzie considers finding the baseball card “good luck” but is it really? What’s…

Words 438 - Pages 2

AP US History: Key Terms And Concepts, Present

AP U.S. History Unit III Key terms and Concepts, 2014 Washington – Adams – Jefferson – Madison – Monroe – Q. Adams 1. First Bank of the United States – Hamilton and loose and strict construction 2. Hamilton’s Reports (Public Credit, the Bank, Manufactures) – all his crazy ideas, refinancing the debt, financially profitable, paid foreign debt, tax imports -> later became protective tariff 3. Whiskey Rebellion/excise tax – got repealed 4. Hamiltonian v. Jeffersonian philosophy (numerous questions)…

Words 980 - Pages 4