Story Interpretation

1. Story Interpretation

2. “The Lottery” • The mundane – • typical – • everyone knows everyone • Normal town • Normal names • Mr. Summers • In charge of lottery • The meaning behind his name

3. Mr. Graves • Summers’ assistant • His name and character foreshadow • Tone • Friendly language • Social atmosphere • Weakness in humans • Fear of rejection in society • No open disapproval of lottery • Fear of change

4. Black box – symbol • Failure to replace it and failure to stand up to beliefs • It is “faded & stained” like their view of reality • Ordinary life vs. extreme evil = things are not always as they appear

5. Protagonist – Mrs. Hutchinson • She’s consumed by hypocrisy and weakness • Attempts to rebel and not show up • “forgetting what day it is” • Pleasant and social when arriving at drawing • IRONY – she stands up and “wins” lottery • After black dot, she’s selfish

6. Relevance today • We flock to nasty gossip • We “butt-in” where we do not belong • We can point out others’ faults until we do it – then no discussion • We stereotype until stereotyped • We are hypocrites! • Symbols – color black • Theme – social class division

7. “To Build a Fire” • Characters • “the man” – protagonist • “the dog” – a foil • Old timer – not even present • Klondike – antagonist • Themes • Survival • Man vs. nature • death

8. Point of view • 3rd paragraph • Man’s lack of imagination • His stupid/naïve/reckless • Man’s behavior makes the story • To survive – “all a man has to do is keep his head”

9. “A Rose for Emily” • Portraits of Emily • Windows/doorway = changes in life • Clues to “whole picture” or the motivations behind her transformations • Protected by father • Youthful • Virgin-like • Hair cut short = no sexuality • She appears as a girl instead of a woman of 30 • “tragic and serene”

10. After she kills Homer • Becomes dark silhouette of her father • She has lived with death literally – Homer’s body • She has locked herself away from time and progress • No sense of time – change ceases to exist • The distortion of time allows her to sleep with her lover?? • She is a living corpse • Her iron-gray hair • Her iron will • Her decisive act of murder

11. Narrator • Basically the town “we” • Suggest gossiping nature • Her “crazy aunt” • Why they attend her funeral

12. Foreshadow – descriptive words • “her skeleton was small and sparse” • “she looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water and of that pallid hue.” • “her voice was dry and cold” • (house) “smelled of dust, disuse – a closed dank smell” • (guests sit) – a “faint dust” rises

13. Foreshadow of father’s death • Emily’s denial of his death • 3 days later she lets them bury him • “we did not say she was crazy then” – Do they now?? • Manservent • Unaffected by the flow of time • Only his hair color changes • Walks out never to be seen again

14. Symbolism – the house • Once one of the nicest • “Big, squarish frame that had once been white” • Became “an eyesore among eyesores” • Old Southern beliefs/actions • Colonel’s rules • No negro woman without an apron • The taxes – “only a woman would have believed” • Judge – not wanting to tell her she smells • Ladies’ attitude about Homer