What makes the Lottery a horror story?
The Lottery is a scary short story by Shirley Jackson about a seemingly normal small town where a strange and disturbing lottery is held every year. But in this lottery, having the winning numbers may not be so lucky, because in this strange town, there are no winners.
How does Shirley Jackson feel about the lottery?
Jackson’s attitude toward human nature is not positive in The Lottery. She seems to feel that there are two types of people who are responsible for the tragedythe ones who perpetuate the tradition and the ones who do nothing to stop it.
What is the lesson of the Lottery by Shirley Jackson?
The moral of the story is that simply because something has always been done does not mean that it is beneficial and should be continued. One key theme of “The Lottery” is the danger of tradition and blindly following along.
What is the main theme of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery?
The main themes in The Lottery are the vulnerability of the individual, the importance of questioning tradition, and the relationship between civilization and violence. The vulnerability of the individual: Given the structure of the annual lottery, each individual townsperson is defenseless against the larger group.
What do the stones symbolize in the lottery?
Stones Symbol Analysis. The stones that the villagers use to kill the victim selected by the lottery are mentioned periodically throughout the story. This repetition develops the stones as a symbol of the violence that humans are seemingly always prepared to commit.
Why was Tessie killed in the lottery?
Just as the villagers in “The Lottery” blindly follow tradition and kill Tessie because that is what they are expected to do, people in real life often persecute others without questioning why. As Jackson suggests, any such persecution is essentially random, which is why Tessie’s bizarre death is so universal.
Why does Tessie think the lottery is unfair?
Tessie thinks the lottery is unfair because she won. If someone else won, she would not have complained at all. This is an example of situational irony in that the readers do not expect that the winner of the lottery will be killed.
Why did they throw stones at Tessie?
In the story, the “chosen one” is Tessie Hutchinson. The meaning of the villagers throwing stones is both literal and symbolic. The opening of the story reflects this as children are running around, building and guarding their piles of stones. A seemingly harmless action is brought to greater significance when Mrs.
Why was Tessie unhappy with the first drawing?
Tessie is unhappy with the first drawing because it means that someone from her family will be stoned to death that day, but it seems as though the thing that upsets her most is her own increased chance of being selected.
Why did Tessie Hutchinson protest?
Tessie Hutchinson The unlucky loser of the lottery. She is excited about the lottery and fully willing to participate every year, but when her family’s name is drawn, she protests that the lottery isn’t fair. Tessie arrives at the village square late because she forgot what day it was.
How old is Tessie Hutchinson?
Tessie Hutchinson was born about 1892. In 1940, she was 48 years old and lived in Milford, Iowa….Tessie Hutchinson in the 1940 Census.Age48, born abt 1892Home in 1940Milford, Crawford, IowaHousehold MembersAgeHeadFrancis Hutchinson68WifeTessie Hutchinson486
Did Mrs Hutchinson die in the lottery?
The woman selected by the lottery to be sacrificed, she is stoned to death by the villagers at the very end of the story.
What happened to Mrs Hutchinson at the end of the story?
Plot/Resolution: What happens at the end of the story? Mrs. Hutchinson is declared the winner of the lottery, and is stoned to death. This is considered a tradition of the town.
What does Tessie Hutchinson symbolize in the lottery?
Tessie Hutchinson – The unlucky loser of the lottery. She is excited about the lottery and fully willing to participate every year, but when her family’s name is drawn, she protests that the lottery isn’t fair.
What does Mrs Delacroix symbolize in the lottery?
Delacroix. Their name, “Delacroix,” literally translates to “of the cross.” In Christianity, the cross represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jackson included these names in the story because the lottery essentially is the sacrifice of one person in order to ensure the well being of the rest of the villagers.
How does the lottery affect Tessie Hutchinson and her family?
Near the end of “The Lottery,” Bill Hutchinson draws the slip with the black spot in the first round, which means that someone in his family will be stoned to death. This immediately begins to cause friction within the family and between Bill’s wife Tessie and some of people in the assembled crowd.
What does the black box symbolize in the lottery?
The Black Box The shabby black box represents both the tradition of the lottery and the illogic of the villagers’ loyalty to it. The black box is nearly falling apart, hardly even black anymore after years of use and storage, but the villagers are unwilling to replace it.
Who is the antagonist in the lottery?
Tessie Hutchinson is the protagonist in “The Lottery”. The lottery itself is the antagonist.
Why was Tessie Hutchinson late?
When Tessie Hutchinson arrives late to the lottery, admitting that she forgot what day it was, she immediately stands out from the other villagers as someone different and perhaps even threatening. Perhaps because she is a free spirit, Tessie is the only villager to protest against the lottery.
What is the main conflict in the lottery?
Hover for more information. The main conflict of this short story is character versus society because it is society that insists upon the continuation of the lottery as a tradition, and it is this tradition—upheld by society—which is responsible for the brutal end of Tessie Hutchinson’s life.