The Lottery Questions on Symbolism - eNotes.com

The Lottery Questions on Symbolism

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Exploring the use of irony in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and its impact on the story's themes and portrayal of human nature and society

Analysis and interpretation of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

Symbols and Critique of Tradition in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"

Interpretations, feelings, and behaviors of villagers regarding the lottery tradition in "The Lottery."

Analysis of the cultural, historical events, and societal practices Jackson satirizes in "The Lottery."

Lottery In June Corn Be Heavy Soon

Symbolism and Allegory in "The Lottery"

The original purpose of the lottery and the townspeople's beliefs about it

Understanding the title and exposition of "The Lottery" and its contrast with the story's events

The writer's attitude toward the lottery and stoning in "The Lottery."

Is the murder in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson morally justified?

Why are the townspeople holding the lottery?

Analyze "The Lottery" from a cultural literary criticism perspective.

What are the general beliefs about the lottery?

Are there indications of violence in "The Lottery" outside of the final five paragraphs? What might this suggest given the story's conclusion?

Does "The Lottery" suggest something about human nature and society by modernizing a crude ritual?

How would you respond to different cultures performing "strange" rituals, as depicted in "The Lottery"?

How can different meanings of "lot" define "lottery" focusing on the idea of chance?

In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," how is resistance to change depicted?

What are the consequences of following the crowd in "The Lottery"?

To what extent does Shirley Jackson use Gothic conventions in "The Lottery"?

What is the consequence of Clyde Dunbar breaking his leg in "The Lottery"?

In "The Lottery," what does Tessie Hutchinson's complaint about the lottery's fairness imply?

Do the townspeople know the lottery's purpose, and is its omission for readers significant?

The emotional impact and intended feelings evoked by the description of the lottery in the first paragraph

Are there any clues in the story that might explain how the lottery first started? What might its purpose be? What passages give the reader clues about the origins of this ritual?

Why did the ancestors in "The Lottery" start the lottery?

Why might viewing the lottery as a ritual inhibit the villagers' objections to it?

What argument about the social contract does the author make in "The Lottery"?

Define 'scapegoating' and explain how it's used in "The Lottery".

What is the importance of the "scapegoat" in the lottery?

Based on the excerpt from Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," what can you infer about the small town?

What is the impact of the remark about finishing "The Lottery" in time for noon dinner?

Why is new technology beneficial in "The Lottery"?

What are some examples of women's inferiority in "The Lottery"?

Why do societies maintain rituals and traditions, like those depicted in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," even when their original meanings may be lost?

What critique of American democracy/capitalism does "The Lottery" seem to offer?

How might the winner of the lottery be expected to feel, given that it's categorized with other civic activities?

What are three reasons why "The Lottery" townspeople continue their tradition without knowing the original purpose?

Significance of the scapegoat in "The Lottery" and the village's need for it

The lottery's role in preventing societal breakdown and influencing norms in the community

Is the lottery in the story a tradition of human sacrifice for a bountiful harvest? What motivates the town's cooperation, and what keeps the lottery in place?

Yearly aspects of the ritual in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."

Relating the social atrocity in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" to contemporary contexts

The impact of the setting on the worldview presented in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."