What Are The Symbols In The Lottery

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In Shirley Jackson’s American Gothic story “The Lottery,” there are many symbols. There are many different analyses about what the story is pertaining to. This story goes to show how common people in a society can do harm to others in order to survive and to keep the balance of life. This story uses symbolism very heavily; it is because of this that the story is very interesting.
The characters of the story have symbolic meaning: Old man Warner is a seventy-seven year old man; he is the oldest man in the village. His name is a symbol because he “warns” everyone about the dangers of leaving behind the lottery. Out of everyone in the village Old man Warner is the only one that enjoys keeping the annual lottery. However, he does not fully show his true love for the lottery it is almost as if he does not love the lottery, but he knows what is needed to be done to better the village and himself and to him it’s by keep to traditions. Another character in the story by the name of “Jack Watson” is the opposite of Warner, Watson is the youngest patriarch, he does not want the lottery to continue like Warner does (Nebeker 105-106). Warner has the position of spokesman for the whole village. He has this position because he is the most honest person in the village and …show more content…
This idea of the scapegoat can also be found in a Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” In her short story, she uses a child of the age of ten who is in a cellar, to take all the pain, suffering, grief, etc. from the whole village. In doing so the villagers stay happy. However, in the lottery the villagers kill one person every year to clean their everyday sins. It is also ironic that killing is one of the most unforgivable sins, but still they must kill someone to have their sins forgiven. The people want to be clean but they will never be

Symbolism In The Lottery

interesting symbols where written in her short story “The Lottery”. Simply trying to understand the symbols in the story is amazing. These symbols can include the lottery itself, the black box, and even the people of the town. Each symbol means something different. Some symbols might have more than one meaning to them. However, it is not realized until the end of the story what that symbol might actual represents. That is what makes the symbols in this story so intriguing. The main symbol of the story…

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Spartacus: The Lottery and Mrs. Hutchinson Essay

The Lottery The short story called The Lottery by Shirley Jackson incorporates many symbols to emphasize the theme throughout the story. One of the symbols that is mentioned in the short story is the lottery, which represents tradition and how a group uses violence to conform to society. The author also utilizes the names of the villagers as symbols to depict contradictory characteristics of each personage. In addition to these symbols, Jackson also uses the black box, the three-legged stool,…

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Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

In The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson she includes different symbols and themes in her story. Two themes that are mentioned throughout the story are traditions and customs along with family. The main tradition that happens in this story is The Lottery. In this tradition everyone is included, family, friends, and all villagers including the young and old. The black box and the lottery and the stones used symbols that she illustrates in the story. One of the villagers is chosen and then killed at the…

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Analysis Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

“The lottery” by Shirley Jackson is a short story about an unusual town blindly following tradition. To help her express the theme of the story, the author uses symbolism, so that the reader can understand better the message behind her work. The use of setting, symbols and tone creates an unique atmosphere that connects with the reader. The setting and tone in the short story are the first barrier that the reader embraces, giving a sense of where they are as well as the overall feeling within the…

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Essay on The Lottery

In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” one of the main characters is Mr. Summers. “The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers.” Summers might be the busy body of the village, but he is not the protagonist of the story. Because he represents the status quo situation in the village, his presence in the story is one of the most significant symbols of “The Lottery.” Summers represents blind adherence to ritual, as he is in charge…

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The Lottery Symbolism

Pick 3: The Lottery’s Symbolism In the “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, she uses numerous objects and traits as symbolism to the story. The color black, the character’s names, and the title itself “The Lottery”. Jackson uses these symbols for many believed reasons to connect with the story First, the color black is the color of the box; which is the main object in the short story. The box is feared, because it determines what happens in the end. When thinking about the color black, death comes…

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How Does Shirley Jackson Use Symbols In The Lottery

"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a story of a surprising town got in a trap of continually following tradition, notwithstanding when it is not to their greatest advantage. Jackson utilizes symbols all through the story that relate with the theme. Shirley Jacksons clearly communicates her emotions concerning traditional customs through her story. It opens the eyes of readers to legitimately arrange and address some of today’s customs as cruel, and permits space to anticipate the result of these…

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Similarities Between The Lottery And The Hunger Games

The Lottery and The Hunger Games The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is comparable to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Both authors have characters that are similar to each other and act and think in a way that challenge the rules and who makes them. For example, Jackson discusses the character Tessie Hutchinson, who is a townsperson and is ultimately chosen by the Lottery. Collin’s character, Katniss Everdeen, is a citizen of District 12 and volunteers to be in The Games to protect her younger…

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Essay on The Rocking Horse vs Lottery

Professor ENGL 102-B54 LUO 3 February 2014 “The Lottery” vs. “The Rocking-Horse Winner” In “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” by D. H. Lawrence, and “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, the two authors illustrate symbols and themes throughout their stories in which one common idea is present: perhaps winning is not always positive. “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” by D.H. Lawrence is a fictional story about a woman’s obsession for money and the lack of love and affection she shows to her family. Her…

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Literary Devices In The Lottery

“The Lottery” Literary devices are specific language techniques that are used in a text to make it clearer. Shirley Jackson author of “The Lottery”, uses five literary devices. They are symbolism, allegory, foreshadowing, theme and irony. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. This literary device is used most often throughout the short story to keep the suspenseful ending a surprise rather than shock. Three main symbols are used in this story, the title “The Lottery”, the…

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