The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

THE LOTTERY BY SHIRLEY JACKSON

The Lottery

By Shirley Jackson

Vocabulary Words

1.        Profusely [adverb]—abundantly; in large amounts

The flowers were blossoming profusely 

1^st Paragraph First Sentence

2.       Boisterous [adjective]- Loud, Noisy and active

They tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.

2^nd Paragraph First Sentence

                         

3.       Reprimands [n]- Criticisms; tongue-lashing; scolding

And their talk was still of the classroom and teacher, of books and reprimands.

2^nd Paragraph Second Sentence

4.       Reluctantly [adv]-Unwillingly

Began calling their children, and the children came reluctantly,

3^rd Paragraph Third Sentence

5.       Jovial [adj]-Happily; Jolly

He was a round-faced, jovial man and ran the coal business

Description of Mr. Joe Summers

4^th Paragraph First Sentence

6.       Paraphernalia-Stuff used for a particular activity; Personal belongings

The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black box now resting on the stool had been put into use  even before the old-man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born.

5^th Paragraph First Sentence

7.       Ritual [n]- Ceremonial or traditional practices

Because so much of the ritual had been forgotten or discarded, Mr. Summers had been successful in having slips of paper substituted for the chips of wood that had been used for generations.

6^th Paragraph First Sentence

Others believed that he was supposed to walk among the people, but years and years ago this part of the ritual had been allowed to lapse

7^th Paragraph Third Sentence

There had been, also a ritual salute

7^th Paragraph Fourth Sentence

Although the Villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use the stones.

8.       Perfunctory [adj]- careless

Some people remember there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the lottery, a perfunctory, tuneless chant that had been rattled off duly

7^th Paragraph Second Sentence

9.       Lapse [v]- Decline; end without being renewed

Others believed that he was supposed to walk among the people, but years and years ago this part of the ritual had been allowed to lapse

                                                                     

7^th Paragraph Third Sentence

10.   Interminably [adv] -Endlessly

Mr. Summers was very good at all this; in his clean white shirt and blue jeans. With one hand resting carelessly on the black box, he seemed very on the black box, he seemed very proper and important as he talked interminably to Mr. Graves and the Martins.

7^th Paragraph Fourth Sentence

11.   Gravely [adv]-Seriously

Mr. Summers gravely and selected a slip of paper from the box.

15^th Paragraph First Sentence

12.   Petulantly [adv]- irritable

There’s always been a lottery, he added petulantly.

16^th Paragraph Third Sentence

13.   Defiantly [adv]-Rebelliously

Mr. Summers said.  She hesitated for a minute, looking around defiantly.

22^nd Paragraph Third Sentence

14.    Fade [v]—To lose brightness, loudness, or brilliance gradually; dim

The women, wearing faded [adj] house dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their men folk.

3rd Paragraph Third Sentence

Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade of without anything’s being done.

5^th Paragraph fourth Sentence

Completely black but splinter badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained.

5^th Paragraph fifth Sentence

15.   Shabby [adj]-Showing signs of wear and tear; threadbare worn-out

The black box grew shabbier each year.

5^th Paragraph Second Sentence

16.    Assemble [v]-To bring or to call together into group or whole

The Children assembled first, of Course.

2^nd Paragraph First Sentence

Just as Mr. Summer finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers.

8^th Paragraph First Sentence

17.   Petulantly [adv]-with unreasonable irritation

There’s always been a lottery,” he added petulantly.”  Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody.”

16^th Paragraph Fourth Sentence

18.   Clung [v]-held tightly

The girls stood aside, talking among themselves, looking over their shoulders at rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brothers or sisters.

2^nd Paragraph Third Sentence

19.   Daintily—delicately, in a lady-like fashion

She hesitated for a minute, looking around defiantly

22 Paragraph Third Sentences

20.   Lottery [n]-a contest in which tickets are distributed or sold; the winning ticket or tickets are selected in a chance drawing

The Story

21.   Beamed [n]

Nancy and Bill Jr. Opened theirs at the same time and both beamed and laughed.

23^rd Paragraph Second Sentence

 Literary Elements

Irony—when what actually occurs is the opposite of what you might expect to happen

The irony of the lottery; one might think the person who wins gets a wonderful prize.  However, Shirley Jackson sets the tone of the story and she makes you feel weary about the lottery.

For example:  The pile of Stones is gathered for this lottery

                          The women are not dressed their best

                           The younger children cling to their older brother or sisters.

                            The murmur conversation among villagers.

                         Mrs. Hutchinson also called the whole thing not fair

Theme-the main message of the story

If something doesn’t seem right change and be careful for what a person might wish for.

Mr.  Adams spoke and said some towns did away with the lottery, because it was pointless and the out- come of the lottery is painful.

Foreshadowing-the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later

1.       Pile of stones

2.       The way the women dressed

3.       The children were afraid

4.       Some said, Please let it not be Nancy

5.       Mr. Adams said some town did away the lottery and only Old man Warner said its tradition

6.       Mrs. Hutchinson said its not right

Getting Things Straight

1.        What is the mood or atmosphere in the first paragraph? [Surroundings]

Described as a beautiful day as the weather being warm

2.        Why was everyone assembled in the Square?

The Village Traditional lottery held every June 27^th   First Paragraph

3.       What were the boys playing with?

The stones Second Paragraph

4.        What is the setting of the story? Are there many details that are not specified?

The setting is the Village Square where the villagers’ for the lottery:  It clearly states the village square in the first paragraph

5.       Predict:  What do you think the black box is for?

To hold the blank pieces of paper all but the one with black spot that was penciled in by Mr. Joe Summer Paragraph 6

6.       From whose point of view is the story being told?  [Who do you think is telling the story?]

The Narrator-the opening paragraph explains the Day of June 27 the day of Lottery when all the villagers gather in the square to conduct the town ritual.  First paragraph is very narrative Just as the second explaining. The children were first to assemble in the square due being excused from School.

7.       Why didn’t people want to replace the box?

The shabby box represents traditions.  Paragraph 5

8.       How long do you think the lottery has been around for?

In paragraph 5 we know Old man Warner was the oldest man in the village and in paragraph 16 it states Old man  Warner’s age was 77 years old. 

In paragraph 6 Slips of paper where substituted for the wood chips due to the growing population of the village.

The tradition would be at least over a hundred years old.

9.       Who directs the Lottery?

By Mr. Joe Summer Paragraph 4.

10.   What Happened with Mrs. Hutchinson?  Who are two women she talks to?

She was late for the lottery Paragraph 8

Mrs. Delacroix Paragraph 8

Mrs.  Graves

11.   What will happen because Clyde Dunbar broke his leg?

He is excused from participating in the lottery.  Mrs. Dunbar must take his place, because her son Horace is not quite 16 years old.  So regretfully she must take her husband’s place.

Paragraph 10 & 11

12.   Predict:

·         What do you think the lottery is for?

In the Lottery it talks about the harvest.  Paragraph 1

Old man Warner states if the lottery doesn’t go through people will end up eating chickweed and acorns.  Paragraph 16

I believe if the town had one lesson person to feed.  There would be enough food to get through the winter.

·         Do you think it is a positive thing or a negative thing? Why? [3-4]

It’s a negative thing, murder is murder.  The town’s people even though somber, the village tries to make light of the negative and they were all afraid.  Especially the children were not counted out of the lottery.

Negative-Murder-Death

13.   How does old man Warner respond to talk about giving up the lottery?

Old man Warner who is 77 years old is against the idea of doing away with the lottery and it is a tradition that has been around for a long time.  He feels the young want to go back to caveman times and nobody wants to work.  Paragraph 16

14.   What does he say is the reason or purpose of the lottery?

To prevent starvation—we’d all go back to eating chickweed and acorns.  Paragraph 16

15.   What does he say will happen without a lottery?

Nothing but trouble Paragraph 16

16.   Who got the lottery ticket?

Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson Paragraph 23

17.   How does the Wife respond?

   It isn’t fair Paragraph 26

·         Who does she think should be included in her family?

Don and Eva Mrs. Hutchinson yelled.  ----Eva is her oldest daughter.  Paragraph 19

18.    Predict again:

·         Do you think people want to pick the lottery ticket?

No the people do not want to pick the lottery ticket.  Two fine examples clearly stated:  Mrs. Janey Dunbar regretfully steps in for her husband

Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson makes excuse of being late to the lottery and she says it isn’t fair four times in the story.

·         Why?

Because in the end someone’s life gets taken away because of a bad tradition to sacrifice

a person to secure extra food.

19.    What do all the Hutchinson Kids have to do now?

Bill Jr., Nancy and Little Davis also have to draw from the box.  Even though they are children, they are not excluded from the lottery.

Paragraph 21

20.   What have the Villagers not forgotten?

Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remember to use the stones.

Paragraph 25

21.    What do Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Dunbar start to do?

Mrs. Hutchinson states it isn’t fair, she is in the center of the Square and Mrs. Dunbar is gasping for air trying to catch up her husband to stone Mrs. Hutchinson to death.

22.   What happens to Mrs. Hutchinson at the End?

A Stone hits her on the side of the head.  Even the village hands her son Little Davis little pebbles to participate in the stoning of his mother.

It isn’t fair right Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.

 Essential Questions:

·         If the majority of the people are doing something, does it make it right?

Depends what it is.  For example: Haiti just had earthquake.  It is a poor country and people assembled together to raise money to help the people in need of assistance.

The Lottery on the other hand doesn’t make it right.  The result is murder, yet this village continues a negative tradition.

·         Can good people do evil things?

Yes, good people can do evil things, in the story of the Lottery, town is filled with wonderful people however, and they have continued an evil tradition of gathering people to see who gets scarf iced.

·         What keeps a society or community together?

The people such as the Postmaster, the Grocer, the school, and the coal business—the jobs of the community

·         What purpose do rituals and traditions serve in a society?

Christmas is example of traditions.  It brings families together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, in the Lottery this tradition has a negative effect on the town.  As the Villagers gather they are somber, even the children or frighten

        The girls stood aside, talking among themselves, looking over their shoulders at rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brothers or sisters.

Which states they are just as scared as the adults?  They are not excused from the lottery

Bill Jr. Nancy and Little Davis also had to draw from the Black Box.

·         Why do people sometimes engage in pointless violence and in humanity?

Some People convince it is part of a religion: for example: the radical Muslims convince other Muslims to engage in violence to go to heaven.  If a person is not Muslim they do not have a right to live.