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What are the comparisons between "the lottery" and "the rocking horse winner
Compare the lottery and the rocking horse winner
Compare the lottery and the rocking horse winner
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The short stories “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, and “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” by D.H. Lawrence, do not appear to convey the same theme or purpose. However, a careful effort to compare and contrast these two stories will illustrate a shared trait between key characters of both stories. Mrs. Hutchinson, from “The Lottery,” appears to be selfish. This remains a characteristic shared with Paul’s mother in “The Rocking-Horse Winner.” However, the driving force behind this trait is completely different. In her short story, Jackson has made clear that Mrs. Hutchinson is selfish for good cause. Characterization of Mrs. Hutchinson would include being a loving spouse and a caring mother to her children. Lawrence, by comparison, has shown that …show more content…
While reading her short story, one can almost imagine being there. She paints a vivid picture of the morning, describing it as “clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day” (Jackson, 1946). When the character of Mrs. Hutchinson first appears, she seems polite and good-natured. She jokes with Mr. Summers, stating “Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink, now would you, Joe?” (Jackson, 1946). She does not seem to necessarily be for, nor against, the lottery that is about to take place. However, this changes when it becomes apparently that her family has the piece of paper with the black mark. She is quick to become selfish, stating that her husband did not have time to take any paper; rather, he was rushed into a quick selection, and it simply was not fair (Jackson, …show more content…
The mother, Hester, to the main character, Paul, “had no luck. She married for love, and the love turned to dust” (Lawrence, 1926). Similar to Jackson, Lawrence also provides a detailed backdrop to the story. It is revealed, very early into the story, that Hester does not necessarily love her children; however, she is “troubled … and in her manner she was all the more gentle and anxious for her children…,” (Lawrence, 1926). As the story continues, it becomes apparent Hester is selfish. She wishes for a lifestyle that she could not maintain, nor could her husband. She blames this on not having luck, which pushes Paul to do whatever he must to find luck. Paul begins a habit of furiously riding his rocking horse. Paul “knew the horse could take him to where there was luck, if only he forced it,” (Lawrence, 1926). While this habit initially pays off, allowing Paul to give his mother five thousand pounds on her birthday, it also begins to drive him mad. He became mad, “his big blue eyes blazing with a sort of madness,” (Lawrence, 1926). Despite Paul’s best efforts, his mother, Hester, was still selfish and unhappy. She insisted on all five thousand pounds up front, instead of the gradual yearly payment as Paul originally had put into place. Paul eventually would succumb to a brain fever, of sorts, in his efforts to win his mother’s approval and to prove to her that he had found
The setting in the stories The Lottery and The Rocking-Horse Winner create an atmosphere where the readers can be easily drawn in by the contrasting features of each short story. This short essay will tell of very important contrasting aspects of settings in that while both stories are different, both hold the same aspects.
Jackson’s use of symbolism is one of the main key points that make the story so interesting. It is hard to believe that she could have written a story with so much symbolism in such a small amount of time (Roberts 268). Society highlights mankind’s ability to victimize others by having family and friends participate in the stoning. The story suggests that this type of activity also exists in the society today. Although Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson are married, Mr. Hutchinson also participates in the stoning of his own wife with the rest of the villagers. In addition, he is the one who forces her to show her marked paper to the rest of the villagers. People are normally peer pressured into doing things when in a group. Seeing Mr. Hutchinson go from laughing and talking to Mrs. Hutchinson to being a part of her fatality indicates how quickly people have a change of heart. This story makes readers more aware of their surroundings, along with the people they associate with. Jackson also indicates that although Tessie couldn’t question the tradition of the lottery doesn’t mean people in the real world can’t question things about their lives and make a change in society today. The important emphasis on religious traditions and symbols make “The Lottery” one of the most mysterious and grotesque short stories of all
Shirley Jackson wrote many books in her life, but she was well known by people for her story “The Lottery” (Hicks). “The Lottery” was published on June 28, 1948, in the New Yorker magazine (Schilb). The story sets in the morning of June 27th in a small town. The townspeople gather in the square to conduct their annual tradition, the Lottery. The winner of the lottery will stoned to death by the society. Although there is no main character in the story, the story develops within other important elements. There are some important elements of the story that develop the theme of the story: narrator and its point of view, symbolism, and main conflict. The story “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, argues practicing a tradition without understanding the meaning of the practice is meaningless and dangerous.
Comparison is a thug that robs your joy. But it's even more than that - Comparison makes you a thug who beats down somebody - or your soul . Shirley Jackson shares an extraordinary short story, "The Lottery" in a urban town a customary occasion in Vermont on June 27th.
{It came whispering from the springs of the still-swaying rocking horse, and even the horse, bending his wooden, champing head, heard it. The big doll, sitting so pink and smirking in her new pram, could hear it quite plainly, and seemed to be smirking all the more self-consciously because of it. The foolish puppy, too, that took the place of the teddy-bear, he was looking so extraordinarily foolish for no other reason but that he heard the secret whisper all over the house: “There must be more money!” Yet no body ever said it out aloud. The whisper was everywhere, and therefore no one spoke it. Just as no one ever says: “We are breathing!” in spite of the fact that breath is coming and going all the time.} Pg 236 paragraph 6.
While reading the stories “The Lottery” and “The Rocking Horse Winner”, the first thing that jumps out is the sense of family. In “The Lottery”, the families are all gathering in the town square and everyone must be accounted for. In which, showing a sort of importance to families. In “The Rocking Horse Winner”, the author introduces a woman her married and had children however, not out of love. Which leads us to believe family is not of importance. Yet, both writers use theme, characterization, and conflict to show how personal choices affect family relationships.
A fiction story’s setting is critical to building the environment of a story around its characters, theme, and credibility. The setting needs to capture the interest of the audience and draw them into the story. The author can choose to have a great amount of detail or little detailing in the setting, depending on what kind of visual cues they want the audience to have in setting up the story. The characters and their behavior can be impacted by a setting, as it was seen in both “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence or in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. These two stories have a contrast in tone, setting, theme, and elements. One writer portrays more background imagery to paint a picture for the audience, while the other writer leaves
“The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson are two short stories that were written in the 1900’s. These two fictional stories show a negative side of human nature, and both have surprise endings.
When one is willing to give up something important or highly valued for the sake of another, it is defined as a sacrifice. Those that willingly sacrifice their own lives for the sake of another, commit the ultimate selfless act. The short stories, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence show two contrasting aspects of the same theme, sacrifice.
In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the theme of the story is dramatically illustrated by Jackson’s unique tone. Once a year the villagers gather together in the central square for the lottery. The villagers await the arrival of Mr. Summers and the black box. Within the black box are folded slips of paper, one piece having a black dot on it. All the villagers then draw a piece of paper out of the box. Whoever gets the paper with the black dot wins. Tessie Hutchinson wins the lottery! Everyone then closes in on her and stones her to death. Tessie Hutchinson believes it is not fair because she was picked. The villagers do not know why the lottery continues to exist. All they know is that it is a tradition they are not willing to abandon. In “The Lottery,” Jackson portrays three main themes including tradition, treason, and violence.
Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." Gioia, Dana and R.S. Gwynn. The Art of the Short Story. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 390-396.
The characters in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” are distinguished from each other through their names and actions. Every character in this story is given a name and none are left unnamed. All the characters brought up in this story are spoken about specifically considering their behavior. Mr. Summers is in charge of the Lottery, and other characters stand off from the action of the lottery, or they only help based upon necessity, not desire. Some other towns have been speaking about quitting the lottery; Old Man Warner speaks passionately against it. The central character of the story is Tessie Hutchinson. Not only is she late to the lottery, the other villagers make a big deal about this and move away from her as she goes to look for
Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” A Portable Anthology. Ed. Janet E. Gardner. Boston: New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2013. 242-249. Print.
Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” Literature: A Portable Anthology. Gardner, Janet E.; Lawn, Beverly; Ridl, Jack; Schakel, Pepter. 3rd Edition. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 242-249. Print.
Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 989.