The Lottery Questions and Answers
The Lottery
How do the people in the village feel about the lottery in "The Lottery"?
The townspeople have mixed reactions to the annual lottery. Some are genuinely excited about it—the children who don't know any better think it's an opportunity to play and talk together. Some of...
The Lottery
In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," why does the village have a lottery?
The primary reason the nondescript village continues to hold the violent lottery concerns their blind adherence to tradition. Old Man Warner symbolically represents the town's strict adherence to...
The Lottery
What is the moral lesson in the story "The Lottery"?
Most people derive enormous benefits from living in a community. From communities, we gain so many of our most important values and traditions. They keep us grounded and greatly facilitate the...
The Lottery
What are the conflicts in the short story "The Lottery"?
The main conflict of the short story is Tessie Hutchinson versus her village, which subscribes to the brutal tradition of the lottery. Tessie Hutchinson believes that Mr. Summers did not give her...
The Lottery
"The Lottery" was published in 1948, just after World War II. What other cultural or historical events, attitudes,...
Written three years after World War II, Jackson's "The Lottery" can be read as satirizing the high levels of conformity that existed in American society. Wars demand a higher level of social...
The Lottery
What is the setting of the story "The Lottery"?
The setting of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" takes place in a small, nondescript town located in rural America on the morning of June 27th. Jackson describes the weather on the day of...
The Lottery
What are the climax, falling action, and resolution of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?
Determining the climax must be considered in terms of the conflict. The conflict is brought to its highest peak at the climax, after which the conflict is resolved. When reading this story for the...
The Lottery
What is the point of view in "The Lottery"?
"The Lottery" is told from the point of view of a third-person omniscient narrator who stands "above" the action, observing the scene without being part of it. It is as if they are the cameraman,...
The Lottery
How is the lottery conducted?
The lottery is conducted in the town square, where the entire community gathers to participate in the savage tradition. Mr. Summers is the lottery's officiant and begins the ceremony by calling...
The Lottery
What is the plot of the story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?
This is one lottery that you would NOT want to win. The premise of this chilling story is that every year, residents of a small fictional town in New England gather in their town square to take...
The Lottery
What is the purpose of the lottery in the village? Why do people continue to participate?
In Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," the nondescript rural town holds an annual ritual at the end of each June, where the community gathers in the village square to participate in the...
The Lottery
What is the author's purpose in writing "The Lottery"?
Shirley Jackson's purpose in writing "The Lottery" has confused many readers. In 1948, when the story was first published, The New Yorker (where it was first printed) did not distinguish between...
The Lottery
What is the tone of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery"?
In the beginning of "The Lottery," the author effectively lulls the reader into a false sense of tranquility. The first words used to describe the scene are "clear and sunny." She goes on to tell...
The Lottery
How does the reader’s point of view on the lottery change over the course of the story?
Check out all those beautiful and calm adjectives in the opening paragraph. The day is clear and sunny. The grass is "richly green." People gather for a lottery and hope to be home for "noon...
The Lottery
How does "The Lottery" relate to real life?
“The Lottery” is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1948. The theme of society versus the individual is a perennial one, not least because so many people the world over feel...
The Lottery
Why is person versus society the major conflict in "The Lottery"?
The main conflict of this short story is character versus society because it is society that insists upon the continuation of the lottery as a tradition, and it is this tradition—upheld by...
The Lottery
What are some examples of irony in the story "The Lottery"? For example, why might the title, "The Lottery," or the...
One bit of irony is Tessie Hutchinson's arrival to the lottery. Arriving a bit late, she jokes with Mrs. Delacroix, telling her that she "clean forgot what day it was." This indicates that the...
The Lottery
This story satirizes a number of social issues, including the reluctance of people to reject outdated traditions,...
Jackson's work examines the issues such as human cruelty, social sanctioning of violence, as well as marginalization leading to victimization. These themes encompass specific traditions,...
The Lottery
Why is Tessie stoned to death in "The Lottery"?
Every year, the citizens of the little village in Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" hold a lottery. Each head of the family draws a slip of paper. Each member of the family with a mark on...
The Lottery
Foreshadowing In The Lottery
In Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," she creates tension and builds suspense by foreshadowing the horrific nature of the annual ritual as the reader anxiously anticipates the grim...
The Lottery
What is the theme or the central idea of "The Lottery"?
The theme, or central idea, of "The Lottery" is the need to examine the traditions we follow and to abandon or radically modify those that are harmful. We shouldn't stick to a tradition, the story...
The Lottery
What does the black box symbolize in "The Lottery"?
In "The Lottery," Jackson says that the black box represents tradition, hence the villagers' reluctance to replace it, despite its shabbiness. The box also implicitly symbolizes death. This...
The Lottery
In the story "The Lottery," what attitude does the author reveal?
Shirley Jackson's attitude towards the brutal, uncivilized tradition of the lottery in the small New England village is incriminating and negative. In the short story, Jackson depicts the citizens...
The Lottery
What kinds of traditions, practices, and laws might “The Lottery” represent?
The lottery could really represent any tradition or practice that now seems outdated, meaningless, or even inhumane. The story conveys just how important it is to keep evaluating traditions for...
The Lottery
In the second paragraph of "The Lottery," the children were gathering stones, seemingly just for fun. The end of the...
We could also describe this as situational irony. Irony occurs when a discrepancy exists between what we expect and what actually happens, and situational irony occurs when events arise that defy...
The Lottery
What was the initial purpose of the lottery in Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery"?
Shirley Jackson intentionally leaves the original purpose of the lottery a mystery. It is important to the story that none of the characters should know why or when it started and what was its...
The Lottery
Describe the people in the town in "The Lottery."
The townspeople in "The Lottery" are depicted as being entirely unremarkable: types and stereotypes one might find in any small town in America. Mr. Summers and Old Man Warner are the two clearest...
The Lottery
Lottery In June Corn Be Heavy Soon
This saying is evidence of the superstition that underlies the lottery. The lottery derives from outmoded ideas that a human sacrifice appeases the gods and leads to a bountiful harvest. Even...
The Lottery
In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," how does the point of view in the story preserve the story’s suspense?
"The Lottery" is written from a third-person point of view with limited scope. This objective perspective allows the reader to experience the lottery as it is happening, which allows suspense to...
The Lottery
What is a good 2–3 sentence summary of "The Lottery"?
A good summary of any literary work will enable someone who has not read the story to get the gist of what happens just by reading your summary. A summary of "The Lottery" would need to include...
The Lottery
In the short story "The Lottery," I don't seem to understand why they stoned Mrs. Hutchinson to death. What...
Mrs. Hutchinson did nothing wrong, nor was she accused of wrongdoing. Her death was not a punishment for a crime. It was a ritual sacrifice: the community believed, even though the story takes...
The Lottery
What are three character traits of Tessie Hutchinson from "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson? What can you infer about...
From her first appearance in the story, Tessie is shown to be a charismatic character. She shows up late to the lottery, but her absence doesn't go unnoticed. When she finally arrives, the crowd is...
The Lottery
What allusions or symbols are associated with the names Bentham, Martin, and Hutchinson in "The Lottery" by Shirley...
Bentham, a name mentioned only once in the story, is almost certainly an allusion to Jeremy Bentham, founder of the theory of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism argues that happiness is derived from...
The Lottery
What is the point of view of the story of "The Lottery"?
The point of view of a story can be identified by considering who is telling the story. Is it a person who is part of the narrative? Is it the protagonist of the story, telling the events of the...
The Lottery
How does the lottery affect Tessie Hutchinson and her family at the end of the story? How is this a good example of...
Near the end of "The Lottery," Bill Hutchinson draws the slip with the black spot in the first round, which means that someone in his family will be stoned to death. This immediately begins to...
The Lottery
Why was "The Lottery" so controversial?
Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” was first published by The New Yorker in 1948. The magazine received an unprecedented response when it ran the short story, including many negative...
The Lottery
In what way is the title “The Lottery” misleading? Why would the author want to trick the reader by having a...
The famous short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson begins deceptively. The author describes a beautiful day, warm and sunny, with blossoming flowers and rich green grass. Villagers gather in...
The Lottery
What is the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, personal conflict, and resolution in "The Lottery"?
The 1948 short story, "The Lottery," exposes the secrets of a tight-knit society whose otherwise normal facade hides a barbaric practice that has been kept alive for generations, only because...
The Lottery
In the story "The Lottery," were you surprised by the ending of the story? If not, at what point did you know what...
The shocking ending of the story is made all the more effective by Jackson's presentation of this small New England village as the epitome of normality. The story takes place on a beautiful...
The Lottery
In "The Lottery," how long has the town been holding the lottery? How do you know this?
In short, a long time. The continuation of the lottery is dependent on its acceptance as tradition, and this sense of tradition is well ingrained in the minds of the townspeople. The lottery has...
The Lottery
In "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, what evidence is there that the lottery has been going on for long time?
There are several indications throughout the story that the ritual of the lottery has been going on for a very long time. For example, we are told that the black box, from which the names of the...
The Lottery
What are some examples of irony in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?
Here are a few examples of irony in "The Lottery": The title of the story, "The Lottery," is ironic. The word 'lottery' has a positive connotation and implies the people playing want to win. A...
The Lottery
What is the significance of Tessie's final scream, "It isn't fair, it isn't fair, it isn't right" in "The Lottery"?
In "The Lottery," Tessie's final scream is both horrifying and ironic. After receiving the "winning" drawing that marks her as this year's sacrificial victim, she cries out that what is about to...
The Lottery
Why has Jackson chosen common people for her characters? Could she have chosen characters from other levels of...
When writing "The Lottery" Jackson's use of "common people" and lack of specificity in time period, location, etc is purposeful. She wanted the themes in the text to resonate and be timeless. If...
The Lottery
What is the major problem in "The Lottery"?
The central conflict, or problem, in "The Lottery" is that the people blindly accept the traditions of their ancestors without questioning whether those practices are necessary in their own...
The Lottery
What does "The Lottery" imply about traditions and ceremonies?
Shirley Jackson examines the dangers of blindly following traditions and rituals throughout her short story "The Lottery." While Jackson is not suggesting that all traditions and rituals are...
The Lottery
"The Lottery" begins with a mood that is very different from the mood at the end of the story. How are these two...
At the beginning of "The Lottery," the mood is light. People are excited to gather together in town to play a lottery organized by Mr. Summers, who organizes all their town events. The weather is...
The Lottery
What do you think the author was trying to say about people in general?
One thing that Jackson is saying about people in general is that behavior that is not examined in light "clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day," is dehumanizing of self as...
The Lottery
Describe the mood or atmosphere of the short story "The Lottery." How does the writer create this mood or atmosphere?
It is a bucolic setting of sunshine, rich green grass, and blossoming flowers that lies in contrast to an atmosphere of uneasiness in "The Lottery." This mood is generated through Shirley Jackson's...
The Lottery
The Lottery (short story vs movie) In the 1996 film "The Lottery", what is the plot diagram (exposition, rising...
One major difference that changes the story is that Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” originally published in 1948 in The New Yorker, doesn’t focus on one main character. It’s an overview of the...
Showing 1-50 of 864