The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

1715 Words4 Pages

Shirley Jackson, born on December 14, 1916, devotes much of her life to the writing of short stories and novels. Some of these include The Sundial, The Haunting of Hill House, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Jackson's stories, inspiring and influential to most, are also controversial to some. Her most controversial story, published in 1948 in The New Yorker, is "The Lottery." The purpose for the writing of the story varies depending upon the reader, but some might say that it "expresses Shirley Jackson's abysmal opinion of her fellow creatures" (Coulthard 228). Whatever the purpose may be, "The Lottery" remains one of the most famous stories to date. Despite the controversy, readers also notice the symbols and underlying themes that are prevalent throughout the story including the role of obedience. The role of obedience is seen through the encounters of the characters including Old Man Warner and Tessie Hutchinson.

The first person that arises and presents the role of obedience is Old Man Warner. Old Man Warner, being the oldest in the small town where the lottery takes place, has survived more lotteries than any other person in his village. As Warner puts it, "seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery. Seventy-seventh time"(Jackson 266). Jackson uses Warner's own perspective on his persistent luck to add drama to the extensive amount of time he has lived. One might say that Warner's luck is coincidental to coincide with the fact that he has the most obedient person and he is practically the only person who does not want to get rid of the lottery. Others, however, might say that it is a direct correlation and that Warner is not being chosen in the lotteries because he is obeying tradition and God is rewardi...

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...ery.'" Explicator 48(1990): 226-28. MLA International Bibliography.Ebscohost. Mary and John Gray Library, Beaumont. 22 Feb. 2007.

Grifiin, Amy A. "Jackson's The Lottery.'" Explicator 58(1999). 44-46. MLA International Bibliography. Ebscohost. Mary and John Gray Library, Beaumont. 22 Feb. 2007.

Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 9th ed. New York: Longman, 2005. 262-69.

Nebeker, Helen E. "'The Lottery': Symbolic Tour de Force. American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography 46(1974): 100-08.MLA International Bibliography. Ebscohost. Mary and John Gray Library, Beaumont. 5 Mar. 2007.

Yarmove, Jay A. "Jackson's The Lottery.'" Explicator 52(1994): 242-45. MLA International Bibliography. Ebscohost. Mary and John Gray Library, Beaumont. 22 Feb. 2007.

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1176 Words | 3 Pages
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The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Redemption In The Lottery Jackson By Shirley Jackson