Monday, December 4 ~ The Lottery

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Click here

Journal 20

• Reading Groups - When your group has finished reading, begin the discussion questions.

• Small Group Discussion -
  In your small groups,discuss the following questions about "The Lottery." Try to get beyond just talking about the plot; use your critical thinking skills to deeply examine this story. All members should be jotting down notes for each of the following questions in order to prepare for our larger class discussion.
  1. How do the commonplace details of life and the folksy language contribute to the impact of the story? Why did Jackson choose common people for her characters? Could she have chosen characters from other levels of sophistication with the same effect? What is the irony of the trite (lacking originality due to overuse) dialogue and casual tone of this story?
  2.  What seems to be the original purpose of the lottery? What do the people believe about it?
  3.  Is it important that the original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost? What do you suppose the original ceremony was like? Why have some of the villages given up the practice? Why hasn't this one?
  4.  What is the significance of Tessie's final scream, "It isn't fair, it isn't right"? What aspect of the lottery does she challenge; what aspect goes unquestioned? 
  5.  What hints are given in the early parts of the story that elude to the seriousness of the occasion? Give evidence of foreshadowing. From which characters do you get the best sense of what is to come?
     
     6.Some critics insist that the story has an added symbolic or allegorical dimension. Do you agree? If so, what is Shirley Jackson trying to tell us about ourselves?
     
     7. Is the lottery a collective act of murder? Is it morally justified? Is tradition sufficient justification for such actions? 
     What are your thoughts on other cultures that perform "strange" rituals?
     
     HOMEWORK
     Journal Check tomorrow, (J16-J20)