The LotteryShirley JacksonWikispaces彩票的雪莉杰克遜Wikispaces

“TheLottery”

ShirleyJacksonNotesonthestoryLotteryWhatdiscrepanciescanyouseebetweenthemovieandtheshortstory?Didyoulikethemovieorthestorybetter?ShirleyJacksonShirleyHardieJacksonwasbornDecember14,1916inSanFrancisco,CA.JacksonreceivedherBAinEnglishfromSyracuseUniversity.

ShemarriedStanleyEdgarHyman,astaffwriterandliterarycriticattheNewYorkerinthe1940s.

SheandHymanhad4children.Jackson'swritingcareerflourishedwithpublicationsinTheNewYorker,Mademoiselle,FantasyandScienceFiction,Charm,TheYaleReview,TheNewRepublic,TheSaturdayEveningPost,andReader'sDigest.Shealsopublishedseveralcollectionsofstories.

JacksondiedofheartfailureonAugust8th,1965inBennington,VT.

AncientRitualSacrificeInancientAthens,Greece,Atheniansbelievedthathumansacrificepromisedfertilecrops.

EachyearinancientAthens,asonestorygoes,duringtheannualfestivalcalledThargelia,citizenswouldstonetodeathamanandawomanselectedforthispurpose.DeathwasthoughttobringprosperitytothecommunityTransferofSinBytransferringone'ssinstopersonsoranimalsandthensacrificingthem,peoplebelievedthattheirsinswouldbeeliminated,aprocessthathasbeentermedthe"scapegoat"archetypeAsimilarritualsacrificeoccurswithTessieHutchinson.Thisexplainsthevillagemember'sremark,“LotteryinJune,cornbeheavysoon.”

Canyouthinkofsomeexamplesfromyourlifewheresomeonewasascapegoat?HistoricalContextAfterWorldWarII,Americaexperiencedatrendtowardgeneralsocialconformity.Peopletendedtoimitatethosearoundthemratherthanfollowtheirownseparatepaths.

Encouragingthisconformity

wasthespreadoftelevision,whichbroadcastthesamesetofimagestoAmericansscatteredthroughoutthecountry.Meanwhile,patrioticrhetoricdominatedthepublicmoodinpolitics.Fearsaboutfascistdictatorshipsandcommunism,issuesthathadbeenhighlightedbythewar-inducedparanoiaandsuspicionamongseeminglypeacefulAmericancommunities.

Inthestory,thetownspeoplearesweptawaybythetideofconformity,andthelotterygoesaheadasalways.RememberHistoricalContextBeyondtheU.S.WhatdoyouknowabouttheHolocaust?By1943,newsoftheNaziconcentrationcampshadfinallyreachedAmerica. AnumberofAmericansrespondedwithhorrorandconcernthatcommunitiescouldhavestoodbyandsilentlyallowedtheHolocausttooccur. TheworldwatchedtheHolocausthappen.Does“TheLottery”containasimilarsituation? Thetownspeopleareunable/unwillingtofullyquestionorpreventthebrutallotterypractice.Historical/SociologicalContextDuringWorldWarII,Jewsandothertargetedgroupsweretornfromtheircommunitiesandsenttotheirdeathwhiletheworldstoodbyinsilence.

In“TheLottery,”Tessieissimilarlysuddenlyostracizedfromandkilledbymembersofherowncommunity.Afewofthetownspeopledisagreewiththeritual,buttheymerelymuttertheirdispleasureundertheirbreath,afraidtospeakoutmoreboldlyagainstthepractice.

Notonlydohumansblindlyperpetrateevil,thestorytellsus,buttheyarealsocapableofclosingtheireyestoandevenparticipatinginterrorsthatoccurintheirmidst.

Haveyouheardthesaying:

“SeeNoEvil,HearNoEvil,SpeakNoEvil?”Whatdoesitmean?Isittrue?AfterWWII,theworldvowedtherewouldneverbeanotherHolocaust.Theywouldneverletithappenagain… FreeWrite

Youwatchedavideoongenocideandtheinabilityofhumanstoenactchange.

Writeabouttheclip,explainingyourreaction.

Discussitwithyourpartner,thenwe’lldiscussitasaclass.“Lethewhoiswithoutsin,

castthefirststone"Whereisthisfrom?Allusion:

areferenceinaliteraryworktoaperson,place,orthinginhistoryoranotherworkofliterature.Please,addtoyourliterarytermsnotes“TheLottery”certainlyalludestoGospelofSt.John,8:7,inwhichJesusfreesanadulterouswoman,directingthescribe/Phariseewhoiswithoutsintocastthefirststone.Noonethrowsstonesather.Unfortunately,noonein“TheLottery”rebukesthepowerssoforthrightlyasJesusdoesinJohn8:7.

Tessiebecomestheirscapegoat;shepaysfortheirsins.RitualwithoutmeaningBecausetherehas"alwaysbeenalottery,”thevillagersfeelcompelledtocontinuethishorrifyingtradition.However,theyfocusonitsgruesomeratherthanitssymbolicnature,forthey"stillrememberedtousestones"evenaftertheyhave“forgottentheritualandlosttheoriginalblackbox.”Isthestorysayingthathuman'spredispositiontowardsviolenceintersectswithsociety'sneedfortraditions?Arehumanspredisposedtobeingviolent?Wednesday9/29ClassOverview“TheLottery”CreativeProjectsPowerPoint-FinishTraditions&BeginLookingattheLiteraryAnalysis“TheLottery”inthePast&PresentEssayBrainstormEssayTopicIdeasDosocietiesneedtraditions?POV:3rd

PersonObjectiveAttheendof"TheLottery,"thereaderdiscoverswithhorrorwhatisabouttohappen,butthestoryendswiththecastingofthefirststones.Jacksonpreferstoleavethegruesomedetailstothereader'simagination.TheconflictoccurswithinthereaderasthereadernotesforeshadowinginthestorywithgrowinguneasinessIsthereaconflictbetweenmenandwomeninthestory?

Dotheyshareauthorityinthecommunity?Aconflictbetweenmaleauthority

andfemaleresistanceissubtlyevident

throughout“TheLottery.”Malevs.FemaleEarlyinthestory,theboysmakeagreatpileofstonesinonecornerofthesquare,whilethegirlsstandasidetalkingamongstthemselves,lookingovertheirshouldersattheboys.WhenTessiedrawsthepaperwiththeblackmarkonit,Tessiedoesnotshowittothecrowd;insteadherhusbandBillforcesitfromherhandandholdsitup.

Whatisawoman’srole?

BrainstormWithYourGroupWomen’srolesTessieHutchinsondefiestheconceptofthepassiveandselflesswoman.

Tessie'sactionsaredecidedlyunlikethebehaviorexpectedoftheidealwifeandmotherintheera.Tessieishardlyself-sacrificing.SheevenjeopardizeshermarrieddaughterbysuggestingthatshejointheHutchinsonfamilyinthefinallotterydrawing.Womenvs.WomenAtthebeginningofthestory,thegirlsstandtogetherwatchingtheboysgatherthestones,butasthosegirlsbecomewomen,theinvolvementinmarriageandchildbearingthatthelotteryencouragespitsthemagainstoneanother,blindingthemtothefactthatallpowerintheircommunityismale.Whataresomeexamplesofconflictbetweenwomen?Amostgrievousbetrayalofanotherwoman

occurswhenTessieturnsonhermarrieddaughterandattemptstojeopardizehersafety.Jacksonemphasizeswomen'sturningagainstoneanother,too,throughherpointeddepictionofthebrutalityofMrs.DelacroixandMrs.GravesinsettinguponTessie.Whatismobmentality?MobviolenceTheheinousactionsexhibitedingroups(suchasthestoningofMrs.Hutchinson)donottakeplaceontheindividuallevel,forindividuallysuchactionwouldbedeemed"murder."

Onthegrouplevel,peopleclassifytheirheinousactsimplyas"ritual."

WhenMrs.Hutchinsonarrivesattheceremonylate,shechatssociablywithMrs.Delacroix.Nevertheless,afterMrs.Hutchinsonfallsvictimtothelotteryselection,Mrs.Delacroixchoosesa"stonesolarge"thatshemustpickitupwithbothhands.Whereas,ontheindividuallevel,thetwowomenregardeachotherasfriends,onthegrouplevel,theybetraythatrelationship,satiatingthemobmentality.

ExpositionThelotterytakesplaceeveryyearwhenthenaturecyclepeaksinmidsummer,atimeusuallyassociatedwithcheerfulness.

Howdidthesettingeffectyourinitialpredictionsaboutthestory?It’ssummertimeinanidyllicvillage?Whatwereyouexpectingforanending?Thesettingis…Settingisidyllic;readersexpectthelotterytobeapositiveexperienceSymbolism…SymbolismBlack:thecolorfordeath,mourning,punishment,penitenceinWesterncivilization.Theblackboxusedtodrawlotsandtheslipofpaperwithablackmarkpointingoutthe'winner'arementionedtoofrequentlytobecoincidental.Blackbox:coffin?Evilsecrethiddenaway?Blackspotonpaper:sin?A“blackmark”onone’srecordisnegative;blackmark:unclean?SymbolismStones

areauniversalsymbolforpunishment,burial,andmartyrdom:theyindicateamorbidceremony.Chipsofwood:

nowdiscardedforslipsofpaper,suggestapreliterate/ancientorigin,liketheancientsacrificialritualsforcrops.Thesetting:

nospecificname/placeindicatesthisisanytown,USA;thecontrastofthetownwiththeritualhelpsbuildsuspenseSquare:(villagesquare)mayrepresentthefourcornersoftheearth—earthlyopposedtoheavenly;human-createdasopposedtonatural;boxedin;concealed.Symbolism:NamesTessieHutchinson:MostlikelyanallusiontoAnneHutchinson(1591-1643),AmericanreligiousenthusiastwhofoundedthePuritancolonyofRhodeIsland.Shehadnewtheologicalviewswhichopposedhertootherministers.AfteralocaltrialbanishedhershewastriedbeforetheBostonChurchandformallyexcommunicated.AnneandfifteenofherchildrenweresubsequentlymurderedbytheIndiansin1643.

TheparallelismbetweenherstoryandTessie'sisclear:toher,excommunicationmeantspiritualdeathjustastoTessiebeingcastoutfromthegroup=death.

Symbolism:NamesTessieHutchinson:

Anti-ritualAnnHutchinsonheldthatneitherchurchnorstatewasneededtoconnectabelievertohisorherGod.(Intheend,Tessierejectsthelotteryritual,saying“itisn’tright.”)Tessie,diminutiveforTheresa,derivesfromtheGreektheizein,meaning“toreap”,or,ifthenicknameisforAnastasia,itwilltranslateliterally“oftheresurrection”.(sacrificeforsins;contrastwithDelacroix—“ofthecross.”)Symbolism:NamesDelacroix

(“of-the-Cross”)vulgarizedtoDella-croy

(nolongertrulyofthecross)SomecriticssuggestthatMrs.Delacroixrepresentsthedualityofhumannature:sheispleasantandfriendlyontheoutside,butunderneathshepossessesadegreeofsavagery.

Cross

hasmanyconnotationscrossroads(facedwith2directions);tocrosssomethingoff;tobeangry;tocrossoverortopassby;passfromonesideoftotheother;tooppose,asincrossingone’spath;aburden;combinationof2elements;Tomakeorputalineacross;Tobetrayordeceive,double-cross…Symbolism:NamesSummers:

theseasonofsummerisassociatedwithyouth,strength,growth,primeoflife,warmth,leisure,prosperity,happiness,blooming,blossomingMrSummersistheheadofthecoalbusiness,whichcouldsymbolizeclosecontactswiththeunderworld,evil;lurkingjustbeneaththesurface.Coalisearthly(asopposedtoheavenly);black;formedintheprocessofmanyyears(long-termprocess);formedfromcompressed,decayingmatter;earlychemistryusedablackspottosymbolizecoal.MarxistcriticspointouthowMr.Summers,whowouldhavebeenoneofthewealthiercitizens,leadsthelottery—thosewithmoneycontrolthepeople’sactivities.

Symbolism:NamesGraves:theobviousgrave=placeofentombment/deathMr.GravesquietlyassistsMr.Summers,with“Graves”hintingatadarkundertone.Grave=serious;hintsthatthelotterymaynotbeafrivolouscontest(“Mr.Gravessaidgravely”)CriticshavesaidthatJacksoncreatesbalancebyjuxtaposingMr.SummersandMr.Gravestoshareintheresponsibilitiesoftheritual:Lifebringsdeath,anddeathrecycleslife.Symbolism:NamesAdams:referencetothefirstman,thefirstsinnerWhileheseemstobeoneofthefewwhoquestionsthelotterywhenhementionsthatanothervillageisthinkingaboutgivinguptheritual,hestandsatthefrontofthecrowdwhenthestoningofTessiebegins.LikethebiblicalAdam,

Adamsgoesalongwiththesin;hefollowsothersintheirevil.Symbolism:NamesOldManWarner:

Resistanttochangeandrepresentingtheoldsocialorder,hewarnsabouthowimportanttheeventistothesurvivalofthevillage.OldmanWarneris77yearsoldthenumber7hasmanyconnotations,butonecommonconnotationisthat7islucky…h(huán)ehasbeenluckytoavoidthelotterysomanytimes.Symbolism:NamesMartin

:associatedwithMars,theRomangodoffertilityandwar.ThefollowingarejustFYI:

St.Martin:Patronofdrunkards,tosavethemfromfallingintodanger.(TheorigincamefromSt.Martin’sdaycoincidingwiththefeastofBacchus,godofwine.)St.Martin’sgoose.The11thofNovember,St.Martin’sDay,wasatonetimethegreatgoosefeastofFrance.ThelegendisthatSt.Martinwasannoyedbyagoose,whichheorderedtobekilledandservedupfordinner.Hediedaftereatingdinner,andagoosehasbeeneversince“sacrificed”tohimontheanniversary.St.Martin’sbirdistheraven,longassociatedwithdeathanddepartedspiritsSymbolism:NamesDunbar:breakingthisnamedownintoits2syllables,onecancomeupwith:1.dun–totreatcruelly;oradull,brownishgraycolor2.bar-Somethingthatimpedesorpreventsactionorprogress;relativelylong,straight,rigidpieceofsolidmaterialusedasabarrier,support,orfastener;Astandard,expectat