2) From an authorial / reader response perspective, Jackson challenges the reader to
question the idea of conformity and blind allegiance to tradition
. If we don't know why we observe a specific tradition, perhaps we should question its usefulness.
What is the moral lesson of the Lottery by Shirley Jackson?
In “The Lottery,” the moral lesson or theme is
that one should not blindly follow traditions simply because they're tradition.
What is the main message in the lottery?
The primary message of Shirley Jackson's celebrated short story “The Lottery”
concerns the dangers of blindly following traditions
. In the story, the entire community gathers in the town square to participate in the annual lottery.
What aspects of the lottery does she challenge?
What aspect of the lottery does she explicitly challenge; what aspect goes unquestioned? There are two ways to approach this question. 1) From an in-character perspective,
Tessie is objecting to the fact that she is the subject of the sacrifice, having been the “winner” of the lottery
.
What is the meaning behind the story the lottery?
The lottery represents
any action, behavior, or idea that is passed down from one generation to the next that's accepted and followed unquestioningly
, no matter how illogical, bizarre, or cruel. The lottery has been taking place in the village for as long as anyone can remember.
What is Shirley Jackson trying to tell us about ourselves?
She is trying to tell us
that we should be guided by our moral compass
, not merely by the expectations of society. If something is unjust or wrong, we should stand up against it.
Why is Tessie Hutchinson singled out as the winner of The Lottery?
Tessie Hutchinson is singled out as the “winner”
because she protested against the tradition of the lottery by saying “it isn't fair
.” As she protested, everyone even her own husband and three children joined in stoning her to death. … It could be considered ironic because the winner gets stoned to death.
How does the lottery relate to real life?
“The Lottery” relates to
real life because it shows us how people can easily be repressed by the communities they inhabit
. Most of us derive great strength and comfort from the communities in which we live. But too many people are repressed by the communities in which they live.
What is the irony in the lottery?
The title of the story itself is ironic because
the idea of a lottery usually involves a reward for the winner
whereas, in this case, the “winner” of the lottery is stoned to death instead. The irony continues in the opening description as the narrator paints a cheery picture of a bright and beautiful summer day.
Why is the lottery unfair?
The unfair tradition of the Lottery by Shirley Jackson
symbolizes a loss of humanity and an unstable society
, afraid of facing the reality of the practices they partake in, so they continue to do so with no hesitation and mercy of their actions. … As soon as the lottery begins the Hutchinson family is selected. Mr.
What is a little bit ironic or unexpected about Tessie's final scream it isn't fair it isn't right?
The significance of Tessie's final scream “it isn't fair it isn't right” is
that she is objecting to the fact that she is the the sacrifice
. She doesn't want to die, and is protesting merely the fact that she has to die, not that people die in general because of tradition.
What does he say will happen without a lottery?
Adams who tells him that another village had given up the lottery. In Old Man Warner's eyes, doing away with the lottery would be akin to going back to primitive times.
He believes that society would fail without the lottery
.
Why was the lottery so controversial?
“The Lottery” was controversial
because it critiqued blind conformity to tradition
. It was written when American nationalism was rising in response to growing fears of communism. Many readers were thus upset with Jackson's negative portrayal of conformity, which they interpreted as a critique of patriotism.
How long does it take to conduct the lottery?
The villagers of a small town gather together in the square on June 27, a beautiful day, for the town lottery. In other towns, the lottery takes longer, but there are only 300 people in this village, so the lottery takes only
two hours
.
Can The Lottery be morally justified?
No,
it is not morally justified just
because the townspeople all agree to murder someone together. They are still killing someone without a trial. It…
How is the ending of the lottery ironic?
Graves and Mr. Summers, also have ironic names. … The plot as a whole in “The Lottery” is filled with ironic twists. The whole idea of a lottery is to win something, and the reader is led to believe that
the winner will receive some prize
, when in actuality they will be stoned to death by the rest of the villagers.
