the lottery short story analysis worksheet

'The Lottery' is a short story by Shirley Jackson, and this quiz/worksheet combo will help you test your understanding of it. The story is about a married couple who have a close encounter with a winning lottery ticket. 1. When Shirley Jackson's chilling story "The Lottery" was first published in 1948 in The New Yorker, it generated more letters than any work of fiction the magazine had ever published. The reader has to feel the cohesion of the story in ways that are easy to miss in the first reading. There is no explanation of this at this point in the story and most readers will miss the significance of those actions because they don’t understand them, but it makes the end of the story a realization rather than a surprise. These can range from harmless traditions such as Easter egg hunts and Christmas trees to far more harmful traditions such as racism, sexism, and even war. People do not look around at each other. This creates an undercurrent of dread which is the core of this story and becomes even more powerful when the reader feels those reactions without knowing he or she is feeling it. The townspeople start the day as they normally would, but then at 10:00 all the residents had to report to the town square. Readers were also presumably still reeling from the horrors of World War II. The core of the story of “The Lottery” is in its symbols. Read more. Considered by many to be one of the best short stories of the 20th century and banned by many others, this is not an easy story to understand because it leaves so many questions unanswered. Without this, the end of the story will feel far more like being blindsided than it does a twist. Could she have chosen This can represent a number of different ideas, but the most basic is that of tradition and specifically unquestioned traditions. [caption id="attachment_130642” align="aligncenter” width="274”] Shirley Jackson[/caption] “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson first appeared in the New Yorker in 1948. Tessie Hutchinson seems unconcerned about the tradition until her family draws the dreaded mark. The short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson takes place a few hundred years ago on June 27 in a small town. One of the major ideas of "The Lottery" is that of a scapegoat.The act of stoning someone to death yearly purges the town of the bad and allows for the good. This is a worksheet and key for the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. What's Up With the Ending? There are many signs of the tension of the day throughout the story, but most of them more subtle than piles of rocks. Learn all about how the characters in The Lottery such as Tessie Hutchinson and Bill Hutchinson contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot. You can hear Homes read and discuss the story with fiction editor Deborah Treisman at The New Yorker for free. Later becomes tense. A wise man once said, "Mo'money; mo'problems." When the Hutchinson family draws the marked paper, she exclaims, “It wasn’t fair!” This refrain continues as she is selected and subsequently stoned to death, but instead of listening to her, the villagers ignore her. Tessie arrives late at the lottery, saying she forgot the day… read analysis of Tessie Hutchinson This Chekhov classic brings those harsh words to life. In The Lottery Ticket by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of hope, aspiration, selfishness, power, greed, control, freedom and satisfaction. "The Lottery" is available to subscribers of The New Yorker and is also available in The Lottery and Other Stories, a collection of Jackson's work with an introduction by the writer A. M. Homes. You'll be assessed on … (But it's worth noting that Tessie doesn't really protest the lottery on principle—she protests only her own death sentence.). It is a strong believe what we would like to maintain and would like to follow in our society. Stoning is one of the few methods of execution that is done by a community. The Lottery Short Story 828 Words | 4 Pages. The choice of the author to not explain this is one of the most important choices in the story. The narrator's perspective seems completely aligned with the villagers', so events are narrated in the same matter-of-fact, everyday manner that the villagers use. Sustana, Catherine. The reader has to feel the cohesion of the story in ways that are easy to miss in the first reading. As with many stories, there have been countless interpretations of "The Lottery." Shirley Jackson (December 14, 1919 - August 8, 1965) was an American author who wrote short stories and novels. Written in June and published the same month of the year 1948, the story is about an annual ritual that happens in a small village. Previous Next . This forces the reader to think more carefully about the story and supply many of the answers. Sustana, Catherine. If the villagers were thoroughly numb to the violence—if Jackson had misled her readers entirely about where the story was heading—I don't think "The Lottery" would still be famous. Save yourself a few hours! The horrifying part of the story is that the murderous tradition continues even in a seemingly modern, “normal” society. Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about Provide quotations (with page/line numbers) from the story to support your answers. It tells the story of a small town that holds a lottery each year. Themes. The basic idea of the lottery as something, which in our society is generally a good thing, being evil is the chief irony of the story. Author: Created by vicki808. By Shirley Jackson. Then she protests that the process wasn't fair. This village has been established as a farming community, so it seems likely that this was the origin of the lottery. I hope you’ve found this “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson analysis useful. Her use of third person point of view is …show more content… Here in this village, the lottery only takes about two hours with the 300 residents that currently live there. But that change, like all important changes, won’t be fast or easy. Continue to work on Short story. Mr. Summers asks Janey Dunbar, "Don't you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey?" How to Write an Analysis Essay Regarding a Story. "Analysis of 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson." The "winner," it turns out, will be stoned to death by the remaining residents. Analysis of 'Paranoia' by Shirley Jackson, 7 Young Adult Novels That Encourage Discussions on Racism, Analysis of William Faulkner's "Dry September", Humor and Violence in Flannery O'Connor's 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find'. Mood Mood: Calm in the beginning. The most basic of these symbols being the lottery itself. Most important, by choosing stoning it makes it clear that it is the society, and not an individual, that is the protagonist. ... place and manner worksheet. Traditions like this exist as much in our society as that of “The Lottery”. Considered by many to be one of the best stories of the twentieth century, it is almost certainly one of the most thought-provoking. This is hinted in the references to agriculture. The story takes place on a beautiful summer day with flowers "blossoming profusely" and the grass "richly green." Yet, though times have changed and we all now know the story is fiction, "The Lottery" has maintained its grip on readers decade after decade. The woman selected by the lottery to be sacrificed, she is stoned to death by the villagers at the very end of the story. Student activities include plot diagram, TWIST graphic organizer, themes, and essential discussion questions. Detailed analysis of Characters in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. Short Story Analysis of "The Lottery" Tradition is very necessary because it introduce our own culture. These materials are designed to be convenient and ready to use. This is one of the values of “The Lottery”. The Lottery - Short Story Analysis Leigh-Ann Grant Anusha Mane Hinal Patel Aatman Shah Theme 1. Includes an introduction activity (using real stones), guided reading questions (for recall/comprehension, analysis, applying, critical think "The Lottery" Short Story Literature GuideThis package of documents features numerous materials for teaching Shirley Jackson's 1948 short story "The Lottery." The Lottery Analysis. Readers were furious, disgusted, occasionally curious, and almost uniformly bewildered. The basic idea of the scapegoat has existed since the early days of Judaism. The barbarism and savagery of violence. Village children, who have just finished school for the summer, run around collecting stones. The story achieves its terrifying effect primarily through Jackson's skillful use of contrasts, through which she keeps the reader's expectations at odds with the action of the story. In other towns, the lottery takes longer, but there are only 300 people in this village, so the lottery takes only two hours. Though the event first appears festive, it soon becomes clear that no one wants to win the lottery. Nearly everything in the story is symbolic. "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson was so controversial that after its publication on June 26, 1948 in The New Yorker, readers canceled their subscriptions and peppered Jackson with hate mail and threats. Analysis of 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. At this point, two men are discussing a town that has stopped performing the lottery. Beyond that of the scapegoat and humankind’s basic nature, the other theme of this story is one of tradition. 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Before the lottery starts, the villagers keep "their distance" from the stool with the black box on it, and they hesitate when Mr. Summers asks for help. There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here. But as the story progresses, Jackson gives escalating clues to indicate that something is amiss. The person picked by this lottery is then stoned to death by the town. Beyond this literal idea of being sacrificed for the sins of others is a more general idea that people need to have someone to blame or hate. The lottery, like "the square dances, the teenage club, the Halloween program," is just another of the "civic activities" conducted by Mr. Summers. The Simpsons television show included a reference to the story in its "Dog of Death" episode (season three). "Analysis of 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson." Mr. Summers led the process. The picturesque setting contrasts sharply with the horrific violence of the conclusion. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to… The purpose of this lesson is to continue to work as a collaborative to explore and discuss the elements and thematic meaning of short stories. Without this, the end of the story will feel far more like being blindsided than it does a twist.The first example of foreshadowing in “The Lottery” takes place in the sec… "Glad to see your mother's got a man to do it," says someone in the crowd. View Answer The purpose of all fiction might be taken as entertainment or self-expression. Why has Jackson chosen common people for her characters? Even in this very dark story though, the author does hold out some hope. Just as important is the irony that is found just over halfway through the story. The story also speaks of mob psychology and the idea that people can abandon reason and act cruelly if they are part of a large group of people behaving in the … 4.5 2 customer reviews. Themes. This story helps to remind readers about what's really important in life. Tone Genre What's Up With the Title? 2. The men smile rather than laugh and moments of hesitation fill this story. The Lottery Analysis. This is not necessarily the reaction you might expect from people who are looking forward to the lottery. Shirley Jackson, "The Lottery" – Discussion and Analysis Questions Answer the following questions in complete sentences on your own paper. The only thing that remains consistent is the violence, which gives some indication of the villagers' priorities (and perhaps all of humanity's). There are people in other villages who have abandoned the lottery and eventually perhaps this town will change as well. The Lottery In many stories, settings are constructed to help build the mood and to foreshadow of things to come. Like the peaceful setting, the villagers' casual attitude as they make small talk— some even cracking jokes—belies the violence to come. “The Lottery” uses a number of literary devices to create a story that is almost impossible to forget. Continue with more related things like short story analysis worksheet, short story writing worksheets and short story outline worksheet. (2020, August 28). On first reading, these details might strike the reader as odd, but they can be explained in a variety of ways -- for instance, that people are very nervous because they want to win. Many of them are simple and unimportant like Christmas trees and far more sinister ones such as racism and sexism are still troublesome today and were even bigger problems in 1948 when this story was published. Yet, though times have changed and we all now know the story is fiction, "The Lottery" has maintained its grip on readers … For more information on writing a literary analysis, take a look at BrighthubEducation.com. Some Critics may classify change in society, and society vs individual as being the main topic or talking point of the short story “the lottery.” Some people may see this as being the main topic of the short story because of the way the characters change up from being a town and a group to turning on Tessie and in the end killing her. "The Lottery" takes place on June 27, a beautiful summer day, in a small New England village where all the residents are gathering for their traditional annual lottery. Many readers find Tessie Hutchinson to be a reference to Anne Hutchinson, who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious reasons. At first, the story does… The dangers of blindly following tradition. Because the story of “The Lottery” holds back on revelation of what is happening so long it is vital that it uses foreshadowing to prepare the reader. Her most famous work is her short story "The Lottery," which combines a peaceful small-town-America setting with a horrific shock ending. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Worksheet and Answer Key. The narrator notes, for instance, that the town is small enough that the lottery can be "through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner." Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/analysis-the-lottery-by-shirley-jackson-2990472. ThoughtCo. The method of execution is also clearly symbolic. The public outcry over the story can be attributed, in part, to The New Yorker's practice at the time of publishing works without identifying them as fact or fiction.Readers were also presumably still reeling from the horrors of World War II. The public outcry over the story can be attributed, in part, to The New Yorker's practice at the time of publishing works without identifying them as fact or fiction. What Are the Odds of Winning the Lottery? Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 5-9. The older of the two men says “Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves.” This idea of being uncivilized because they will not perform an act that the reader almost certainly will find uncivilized is vital to the basic idea of the story. Writing About Literature: Ten Sample Topics for Comparison & Contrast Essays, Practice in Using Quotation Marks Correctly, Biography of Eudora Welty, American Short-Story Writer, Analysis of Margaret Atwood's "Happy Endings", 'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas' Analysis, Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters, Books and Plays, Ph.D., English, State University of New York at Albany. Yet when Tessie Hutchinson cries, "It wasn't fair!" https://www.thoughtco.com/analysis-the-lottery-by-shirley-jackson-2990472 (accessed February 18, 2021). He brought with him a box with small pieces of paper inside of it. Whether either of these is true or not, the ambiguity left by the author as to the reasons for the lottery is one of the most important themes of this story, because the fact that the people of the town don’t know the reason for the lottery is vital to the point that the story is trying to make. In the short story, “The Lottery”, Jackson’s use of symbols reveals a twisting plot that isn’t recognizable until nearly at the end of the story. Your name * Your email * … Readers may find that the addition of murder makes the lottery quite different from a square dance, but the villagers and the narrator evidently do not. Mar 9, 2016 - Lesson plans & activities for the short story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Rationale: This lesson is the tenth of several which will introduce and explore the short story. For instance, the story has been read as a comment on World War II or as a Marxist critique of an entrenched social order. RL 9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. But although the villagers like to imagine that they're preserving tradition, the truth is that they remember very few details, and the box itself is not the original. Rumors swirl about songs and salutes, but no one seems to know how the tradition started or what the details should be. Learning what the "winner" really gets is all the more horrifying because we have expected the opposite. readers realize there has been an undercurrent of tension and violence in the story all along. Specifically, it is commenting on those things that people do simply because that is what has always been done. In addition, it helps to keep the reader from catching onto the basic idea of the story. And everyone praises the Watson boy for drawing for his family. Shirley Jackson’s comparisons Many times, literature is used to teach a lesson or theme. ... PDF version of story is peppered with grammar and spelling errors, but was only version I could find online, however made another useful activity where students corrected errors they found! Includes an introduction activity (using real stones), guided reading questions (for recall/comprehension, analysis, applying, critical think In Shirley Jackson's short story The Lottery, on which day does The Lottery fall each year? The Lottery Shirley Jackson, controlled assessment. Each […] Read more. It has been adapted for radio, theater, television, and even ballet. The idea being that by being able to simply heap all of their aggression onto one person they are able to free themselves of it for another year. The Lottery Summary & Analysis Next. We hope these Short Story Elements Worksheet images collection can be useful for you, deliver you more examples and of course make you have an awesome day. One of the starkest moments in the story is when the narrator bluntly states, "A stone hit her on the side of the head." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/analysis-the-lottery-by-shirley-jackson-2990472. When the boys begin gathering stones, it seems like typical, playful behavior, and readers might imagine that everyone has gathered for something pleasant like a picnic or a parade. Copyright © 2020 Bright Hub Education. The lottery itself is tense. Shirley Jackson. Perhaps the most interesting of the theories on the lottery’s meaning is the simple idea of the scapegoat. A gathering of neighbors on a bright sunny day might seem like a summer picnic, but Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" proves this setting to be something more sinister. From a grammatical standpoint, the sentence is structured so that no one actually threw the stone—it's as if the stone hit Tessie of its own accord. The passage of a message to society takes different perspectives as the short story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson shows. Regardless of which interpretation you favor, "The Lottery" is, at its core, a story about the human capacity for violence, especially when that violence is couched in an appeal to tradition or social order. Sustana, Catherine. By removing us from our own comfortable traditions we can see the dangers easier. We’ve included .pdf and editable MS Word formats so that you can customize as needed or use this immediately. Standards. There are a number of excellent examples of dramatic irony in the story.

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