The Lottery

Discussion Questions:

1. Were you surprised by the ending of the story? If not, at what point did you know what was going to happen?

-Yes I was surprised

How does Jackson start to foreshadow the ending in paragraphs 2 and 3? Conversely, how does Jackson lull us into thinking that this is just an ordinary story with an ordinary town?
-Tessie started freaking out, but he makes it sound like everyone is in good spirits talking to one another

2. Where does the story take place? In what way does the setting affect the story? Does it make you more or less likely to anticipate the ending?-A small village

-Makes it seem simple-minded a traditional
-Less likely

3. In what ways are the characters differentiated from one another? Looking back at the story, can you see why Tessie Hutchinson is singled out as the "winner"? '

-Some people are for it and some are against it

-Yes, she had a black dot on her paper

4. What are some examples of irony in this story? For example, why might the title, "The Lottery," or the opening description in paragraph one, be considered ironic?

-Winning means that you die

5. Jackson gives interesting names to a number of her characters. Explain the possible allusions, irony or symbolism of some

of these:

 Delacroix - means cross in French, corrupt because everyone says it wrong

 Graves - death

 Summers - occurs during summertime

 Bentham - fear

 Hutchinson - Tessie protested the drawing

 Warner - there were warnings of change

 
Martin - symbolizes change

7. Take a close look at Jackson's description of the black wooden box (paragraph 5) and of the black spot on the fatal slip of

paper. What do these objects suggest to you? Why is the black box described as "battered"? Are there any other symbols in the story?
-These are traditional symbols in the village and have been used for many years, black is the color of death

8. What do you understand to be the writer's own attitude toward the lottery and the stoning? Exactly what in the story makes her attitude clear to us?
-She doesn't think that it's right, there was talk of people ending the lottery

9. This story satirizes a number of social issues, including the reluctance of people to reject outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices. What kinds of traditions, practices, laws, etc. might "The Lottery" represent?

-Laws that are outdated but people still do not change them

10. This story was published in 1948, just after World War II. What other cultural or historical events, attitudes, institutions, or rituals might Jackson be satirizing in this story?

-POW camps and the Holocaust

People enjoy violence and tradition. For example, the NFL draws millions of fans all around the world because people enjoy watching huge men crash into each other at very fast speeds. They will pay hundreds of dollars for tickets and TV channels to view these events. There has also been a lot of rule changes to make the game safer and less hectic, this changes up tradition and people are not very happy about that. This story symbolizes the violence and traditions that run this world and some of the people that are working to change it. Just like those towns that are giving up the "Lottery". Those people symbolize the youth today, trying to take out the violence and tradition of things on this Earth. But it will never change; some people will never give up traditions, so it seems as if their acts are worthless. I still believe in tradition, which is a thing that a younger person like me would catch a lot of crap for if I were to ever voice that publicly to other people my age. Just like when Mr. Warner got mad at the other towns for getting rid of the Lottery. Back in the day this book was written, that is how things were. People with tradition still ruled and looked down upon those who were trying to change it, but it seems as if now, in today's society, people look down on you if you try and keep tradition.