“The Lottery“ is one of Shirley Jackson’s many famous short stories. Shirley Jackson was a prolific writer, among her over 100 short stories including “The Lottery“, she also published 6 novels. With her amazing works she even influenced authors such as Stephen King. First published in “The New Yorker“ in 1948, “The Lottery“ quickly became one of the most talked about short stories in american history. Horrified by Shirley Jackson’s tale hundreds of subscribers were quick to cancel their subscription to “The New Yorker“. Not long after the publication, the first response mails came in, followed by a flood of mail (Friedman 63). Author Shirley Jackson, admits that out of all the letters that were sent to the editorial offices in New York, only
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However, besides, violence as well as victim and victimization “The Lottery“ especially deals with the dangers of blindly accepting traditions and the cruelty of human nature. It becomes unsafe when the significance of a ritual is lost. The tone Shirley Jackson used in her short story does not mach the themes mentioned above. While the author uses a light and happy tone throughout the whole story, the main theme as well as the ending are dark and unhappy. The dramatic irony within the Jackson’s story already starts with the title “The Lottery“. Naturally people connect a lottery with something happy. Something one wants to win, yet this lottery is nothing positive at all. The winner expects something joyful and instead gets stoned to death. It is also Ionic that when Tessie Hutchinson gets stoned to death she screams “It isn 't fair, it isn 't right“ (Jackson 409), however if it was not her to have “won“ the lottery, she most likely wouldn 't have been hesitant to participate in somebody else murder. She would have done the same thing her and the town people have done for years and …show more content…
With this short story Shirley Jackson reminded the readers that it is important to think for oneself. Nobody can think for somebody else, and if one person would be the one held responsible for their action would it even still be an option? These are things that come to mind when reading “The Lottery“. It is easy for people to give up responsibility, and many do not want to see that they are being controlled. It is always easier to follow what other people are doing, or to do what other people are telling one to do than trying to figure out oneself. Everybody has a different story, a different background, other morals and beliefs, this is what makes one human. “The Lottery“ supports individuality among the
However, besides, violence as well as victim and victimization “The Lottery“ especially deals with the dangers of blindly accepting traditions and the cruelty of human nature. It becomes unsafe when the significance of a ritual is lost. The tone Shirley Jackson used in her short story does not mach the themes mentioned above. While the author uses a light and happy tone throughout the whole story, the main theme as well as the ending are dark and unhappy. The dramatic irony within the Jackson’s story already starts with the title “The Lottery“. Naturally people connect a lottery with something happy. Something one wants to win, yet this lottery is nothing positive at all. The winner expects something joyful and instead gets stoned to death. It is also Ionic that when Tessie Hutchinson gets stoned to death she screams “It isn 't fair, it isn 't right“ (Jackson 409), however if it was not her to have “won“ the lottery, she most likely wouldn 't have been hesitant to participate in somebody else murder. She would have done the same thing her and the town people have done for years and …show more content…
With this short story Shirley Jackson reminded the readers that it is important to think for oneself. Nobody can think for somebody else, and if one person would be the one held responsible for their action would it even still be an option? These are things that come to mind when reading “The Lottery“. It is easy for people to give up responsibility, and many do not want to see that they are being controlled. It is always easier to follow what other people are doing, or to do what other people are telling one to do than trying to figure out oneself. Everybody has a different story, a different background, other morals and beliefs, this is what makes one human. “The Lottery“ supports individuality among the