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Questions and Answers
What is the significance of the date 'June 27' in the story?
What is the significance of the date 'June 27' in the story?
What is the atmosphere among the children as they gather for the lottery?
What is the atmosphere among the children as they gather for the lottery?
Why do the children tend to gather together quietly at first?
Why do the children tend to gather together quietly at first?
What is the reaction of the community to the idea of changing the lottery tradition?
What is the reaction of the community to the idea of changing the lottery tradition?
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What is Old Man Warner's attitude towards the lottery tradition?
What is Old Man Warner's attitude towards the lottery tradition?
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What is Mr. Summers' role in the story?
What is Mr. Summers' role in the story?
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What is the significance of the 'new box' mentioned in the story?
What is the significance of the 'new box' mentioned in the story?
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What is Mrs. Adams' attitude towards the lottery?
What is Mrs. Adams' attitude towards the lottery?
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What is the reaction of communities that have halted the lottery practice?
What is the reaction of communities that have halted the lottery practice?
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What is the tone of the story?
What is the tone of the story?
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What is implied about the children's feelings as they gather for the lottery?
What is implied about the children's feelings as they gather for the lottery?
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Why does the community hesitate to change the lottery tradition?
Why does the community hesitate to change the lottery tradition?
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What is the significance of the conversation about other communities?
What is the significance of the conversation about other communities?
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What is the tone of Old Man Warner's dialogue?
What is the tone of Old Man Warner's dialogue?
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What is implied about the community's history with the lottery?
What is implied about the community's history with the lottery?
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What is the role of the lottery in the community's social hierarchy?
What is the role of the lottery in the community's social hierarchy?
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What is the significance of the phrase 'feeling of liberty' in the story?
What is the significance of the phrase 'feeling of liberty' in the story?
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What is the author's attitude towards the lottery tradition?
What is the author's attitude towards the lottery tradition?
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What is the relationship between the lottery and the community's identity?
What is the relationship between the lottery and the community's identity?
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What is the implication of the phrase 'assisting the lottery's victims to their graves'?
What is the implication of the phrase 'assisting the lottery's victims to their graves'?
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Study Notes
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Overview
- Published in 1948 in The New Yorker
- Genre: Classic Horror
Author Background
- Shirley Jackson born in San Francisco on December 14, 1916
- Began writing and publishing short stories at 21
- Known for her prolific short story writing and Gothic novels (e.g. The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle)
- Died unexpectedly of heart failure on August 8, 1965, at 48 years old
Context
- Published in 1948, just after World War II
- World was shocked by the revelation of Nazi death camps in which millions of Jews were executed
- Similarities can be seen between the Nazis and the fictional executioners in The Lottery, where innocent people are murdered due to blind following of others
Summary
- Story takes place on a sunny summer day in a small village
- Village is preparing for the annual lottery, led by Mr. Summers
- Lottery is a serious event, but the true purpose is not revealed until the end
- The Hutchinson family, particularly Tessie, becomes the focal point of the story
Setting
- Entire action takes place outdoors at the village square
- Late June, roughly midsummer
- Pastoral setting contrasts with the dark events that unfold
Characters
- Mr. Summers: In charge of the lottery and civic activities in the town
- Mr. Graves: Postmaster, assists with the lottery
- Old Man Warner: Devoted to tradition, cautions against changing the lottery
- Tessie Hutchinson: Protagonist, selected to participate in the lottery
- Bill Hutchinson: Tessie's husband
- Eva: Tessie's grown daughter
Themes
- Power of tradition and ritual: The lottery is continued every year, even though the original meaning is lost
- Conformity: Peer pressure keeps citizens in line, despite concerns about the lottery
- Human capacity for violence: Villagers participate in stoning Tessie without questioning their actions
Symbolism
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Character names are symbolic (e.g. Delacroix means "of the cross", highlighting the theme of sacrifice)
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Mr. Graves' name symbolizes the grave consequences of participating in the lottery### The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Overview
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The story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson takes place in a dystopian society, where a small town holds a lottery every year, which leads to a dark and sinister outcome.
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The story explores the themes of tradition, conformity, violence, and sacrifice.
Characters
- Mr. Summers: a civic-minded citizen who administers the lottery and organizes other events.
- Mr. Graves: the postmaster who assists with the lottery.
- The Hutchinson family: Tessie, Bill, and their children Bill Jr., Nancy, and Dave.
- Old Man Warner: a proud survivor of 77 lotteries, who warns against changing the tradition.
- Eva: the Hutchinson's older married daughter.
Themes
- Tradition: the power of tradition and ritual, where the original meaning has been lost over time.
- Conformity: peer pressure keeps citizens in line, and no one is willing to go against the mob psychology.
- Violence: the human capacity for violence, as seen in the stoning of Tessie Hutchinson.
- Sacrifice: the story concerns itself with the idea of sacrifice, as seen in the annual lottery.
Analysis
- The original purpose of the lottery has been lost over time, but it is now used to select a victim for a blood sacrifice.
- The community unquestioningly accepts the barbaric practice of sacrificing a member to guarantee a successful harvest.
- Many cultures have practiced human sacrifice.
Irony
- The lottery is ironic because the "winners" lose their lives, opposite of most lotteries where winners gain something of value.
- The festive summer setting belies the grim event that occurs at the town square.
Symbolism
- Old Man Warner's name symbolizes his warning about changing the tradition.
- The Delacroix family name symbolizes the theme of sacrifice, with its allusion to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
- Mr. Graves' name symbolizes his role in assisting the lottery's victims to their graves.
Quotes
- "Every June 27, the community assembles to participate in the lottery."
- "Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done."
- "Some places have already quit lotteries," Mrs. Adams said. "Nothing but trouble in that," Old Man Warner said stoutly. "Pack of young fools."
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Description
Test your understanding of Shirley Jackson's classic horror short story, The Lottery, published in 1948. Explore the life and works of the author and the themes presented in the story. This quiz will evaluate your knowledge of the plot, characters, and literary elements used in the narrative.
