The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

854 Words2 Pages

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Analyzation encompasses the application of given criteria to a literary work to determine how efficiently that work employs the given criteria. In the analyzation of short stories, the reader uses a brief imaginative narrative unfolding a single incident and a chief character by means of a plot, the details so compresses and the whole treatment so organized, a single impression results. To expose that impression, the reader explores the workings of seven basic criteria. On particular criterion effectively supports the central idea on "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.

The author teaches the central idea through the actions of the protagonist in the plot through what the protagonist does or does not do. The author teaches the lesson, the author's idea, and the universal in two ways. Author's idea expresses the author's beliefs or opinions on a particular subject; the author may use a universal truth. A universal truth presents an idea assumed true by the masses worldwide that teaches a lesson based on the interpretation of the universal truth.

What the reader learns throughout the story or the lesson consists of two categories, general and specific.

General lessons teach the overall lesson in the story; usually a universal truth that speaks of qualities like greed, revenge, love, fear, discrimination, and ignorance. "Because primitive peoples meshed much more successfully with the world around them, they became far more sensitive to its needs and rhythms; they made certain that the lessons of passage were powerful and certain to have the desired effect. The rituals were intense, sometimes painful and terrifying. They were assuredly unforgettable." The Grims Brothers, Poor Richard...

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...omplains, someone may make the punishment worse. As Mrs. Delacroix picked up a stone so large the act took two hands, just to prolong the agony of Mrs. Hutchinson.

In "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, the author excellently expressed the central idea of the short story. The explanation of central idea and the use of specific information form the story demonstrate how effectively this aspect of short story structure supports the overall idea. Six other criteria plot, character, setting, tone, language, and narrative viewpoint, explore all support aspects of the central idea in short story writing. The short story presents a single plot structure and a main character that develop the central focus through these seven aspects. Analyzing the specific parts allows the reader to understand and appreciate the instructional value of the short story form of literature.

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