Essay about Human Nature in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson The idea of winning a lottery is associated with luck, happiness and anticipation of good things. In Shirley Jacksons story, The Lottery, this is not the case. The irony of the story is that the winner of the lottery gets stoned to death by everyone else in the town. The story is very effective because it examines certain aspects of human nature. One aspect of human nature that is examined, and that adds to the effectiveness of the story, is mans tendency to resist change. This is shown in more than one way. The first way is the way some villagers tolerate the lottery even though they know it is wrong, and it serves no purpose. They talk about how other towns have already stopped having†¦show more content†¦Another aspect of human nature that we see in the story, and that adds to the effectiveness of the story, is the ability of man to hide his fear by joking about danger. When Mrs. Hutchinson arrives late, her husband jokes about getting along without her, and she jokes back about leaving dishes in the sink. The whole town laughs. They must joke because someone they know will die very soon, and they have to cover their fear. This adds to the effectiveness of the story because we have all seen people act this way. The next aspect of human nature that the author looks at, and that adds to the effectiveness of the story, is denial. As soon as her husband has drawn the black dot, Mrs. Hutchinson begins to complain that her husband wasnt given enough time to choose. She was content to allow someone else to die, but when it was going to be someone in her family she began to complain about procedure. This is something almost everyone would do. Denial is typical of humans, and the author uses it to make the story more effective. The crowd mentality is another facet of human nature that we see in the story, and that adds to the potency of the story. In a crowd the stoning can be justified by each person present because they can tell themselves that they didnt kill Mrs. Hutchinson. They only threw one or two rocks. Everyone else killed her. This kind of phenomenon accounts for deaths in BritishShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson. 1. Focus/Thesis For Your885 Words   |  4 PagesTHE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson 1. Focus/thesis for your essay on the story you are researching The traditions and the rituals of the lottery authored by Shirley Jackson seems to be just as old as the town itself, more so since most residents don’t actually recall any of the old rituals, ven the Old Man Warner, who celebrates his 77th lottery. This implies that they are archaic in some ways and they are rooted in the traditions and superstitions that seem to include the crops and the human sacrificeRead MoreHuman Corruption Of Human Nature1140 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Corruption in â€Å"The Lottery† â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story in U.S literature. Written in 1948, the short story has been published in multiple languages around the world. It is still a required reading in U.S today. The story was later adapted into both a TV short and a play (â€Å"Shirley Jackson’s Bio†). Jackson uses irony and symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† to show the corruption of human nature. The story opens up on a clear June day. It continues to describe an ominousRead MoreThe Lottery Literary Analysis1538 Words   |  7 Pageswarmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green† (Jackson). 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Usually, the winner of the lottery gains a lot of recognition for the money they win. But what would happen if there was a small town where people held a yearly lottery in which the â€Å"winner† was the member of the town who was not sacrific edRead More Essay on Shirley Jacksons The Lottery - Evils of Society Exposed858 Words   |  4 PagesThe Evils of Society Exposed in The Lottery  Ã‚   In Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, what appears to be an ordinary day in a small town takes an evil turn when a woman is stoned to death after winning the town lottery. The lottery in this story reflects an old tradition of sacrificing a scapegoat in order to encourage the growth of crops. But this story is not about the past, for through the actions of the town, Jackson shows us many of the social ills that exist in our own lives. In today’sRead MorePsychoanalytic Criticism Of The Lottery999 Words   |  4 PagesIn Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery,† the story begins on a sunny day that imposes gossip and frenzy around the town. In this location, they conduct a â€Å"lottery† that involves the families of the town to go into a drawing. Once the drawing is done, the family that is chosen is forced to commence into another lottery between themselves. The winner of the lottery is used as a sacrifice for the town and is pelted by stones thrown from the community, including children. Furthermore, the basis of â€Å"The Lottery†Read MoreThe Lottery Short Story Analysis1122 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery†, a short story by Shirley Jackson reflects humans deepest nature on tradition. Jackson uses routines as a way of illustrating the festival like qualities of the annual lottery. The setting of vibrant colors in the short story conveys a peaceful tone.The character s are portrayed as loving and caring. The ideas of a festival like a lottery, a homey setting and, the peoples actions all help develop the bigger idea. The people and tradition Shirley Jackson in her short story the â€Å"TheRead MoreAnalysis of Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay776 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published on June 26, 1948. The story was initially met with negative critical reception due to its violent nature and portrayal of the potentially dangerous nature of human society. It was even banned in some countries. However, â€Å"The Lottery† is now widely accepted as a classic American short story and is used in classrooms throughout the country. Jackson’s story takes a critical look at what can result when the customs and laws that govern