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“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Background Information. Author Information. b orn 1919-died 1965; born in CA; dies in sleep -heart failure middle-class family; family moves to New York when she is 14 yrs . w ants to be a writer at an early age- stays in room and writes

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“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

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  1. “The Lottery”by Shirley Jackson Background Information

  2. Author Information • born 1919-died 1965; born in CA; dies in sleep -heart failure • middle-class family; family moves to New York when she is 14 yrs. • wants to be a writer at an early age- stays in room and writes • 1940- Marries a Jewish writer against parents wishes – has 4 kids • labeled as an American Gothic writer • 1959- famous novel The Haunting of Hill House • tone of writing -is dark & macabre framed with characters/settings that are ordinary • writing has influenced writers such as Neil Gaiman and Stephen King • refused to be interviewed or explain her work

  3. Story Information • Published in a magazine in 1948 (5 yrs. after WWII ends) • Most famous writing of Jackson • “Lottery” has reported more negative responses than any other story at the time (people canceled subscriptions) • Readers were offended by the violence and Jackson seemed mystified by this

  4. Story Information • Ancient Greeks believed that human sacrifice promised fertile crops; used to have a festival for this purpose • Scapegoat- is a person, group, or thing assigned responsibility for the faults/sins of something; Tessie is scapecoat who dies for the entire village • 3rd person objective narrator- narrator is not in the story and never tells what the characters think or feel, only what they do in actions

  5. Literary Elements Color Symbolism: • Black box= symbolizes death, mourning • Paper with black mark= symbolizes a “black mark or sin” in one’s life Other Symbolism: • Stones= universal symbol for punishment, burial • Chips of wood= symbolize the ancient ritual from the past • Square (village sqaure)= symbolizes the town being “boxed or squared in” by the traditions of the past • June 27th= symbolizes the day of the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year); day was important to ancient Roman please the gods of nature to ensure a good harvest

  6. Literary Elements Name Symbolism: • Tessie Hutchinson= *symbolizes & alludes to historical character and martyr Anne Hutchinson; Anne Hutchinson ( 1591-1643)- Puritan woman who had her own religious views that others opposed;put on trial and was cast out of her community (like Tessie was); Anne and 15 of her kids were murdered by Indians in 1643 *symbolizes human nature of non-acceptance; she doesn’t want to accept reality & until she “won” the lottery she didn’t care who was sacrificed 2) Mr.Summers= symbolizes the season of the lottery taking place & the type of person he is coal is dark material formed from compress decaying matter and is dug underground & he is a dark person who is sinister for officiating 3) Mr. Graves= symbolizes 2 things: *grave= death or place of burial which occurs in story *grave= to be serious which Mr. Graves is about lottery

  7. Literary Elements 4)Old Man Warner= symbolizes “warning” against change; represents old traditions (he is 77 yrs. ”7” is a lucky number and he is lucky to not win) 5) Mr. Adams= symbolizes the first sinner in Bible (Adam) he questions the lottery still existing, yet he goes along with the others & is first in line (Adam in Bible gives in as well) 6) Mrs. Delacroix= name means “of the cross” She “double-crosses” Tessie by throwing the large stone

  8. Literary Elements Allusions: Biblical • John 8:7- “Let who is without sin, cast the first stone” Christ frees an adulterous woman from being stoned to death. Tells the crowd of stoners that “let those who have not sinned, throw the first stone” at the woman. No one throws a stone because everyone has sinned.

  9. Literary Elements 2) Events of WWII (Holocaust)– Jews were torn from their communities and sent to their death while the people stayed silent 1943- Americans learn about concentration camps & are in shock that the people allowed to Holocaust to occur- same thing happens in story

  10. Literary Elements Foreshadowing: • Tessie tapping friend saying farewell as she makes her way to the front of crowd Situational Irony: 1) Title of story and first few paragraphs are the opposite of what you think will happen

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