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Theme of Shirley Jackson's

            Shirley Jackson's short story presents us with a view of the inhumanity, unfairness, and cruelty in the world. She draws on the fact that everyone, no matter if traditionally or spontaneously done, has some form of cruelty or unfairness within themselves and also how society influences the action of out children.
             This story takes place in a small town that practices a traditional lottery. The lottery, usually associated with a monetary prize, is now associated with death by stoning. This unfair treatment is a perfect example of the way society can treat individuals inhumanely or cruel. Mrs. Hutcherson's death was chosen by a slip of paper; this showed how society does not give you an option but takes your life in its hands and controls it the way it wants. Ms. Hutcherson's death by the lottery was the realization of the way life comes and goes before be know it because of society and its views about the treatment of individuals. .
             Society also decides how they will treat someone beforehand without emotional remorse if the treatment hurts the person emotionally or physically. For example an immigrant's life is basically laid out for him, to be shunned by the natives and treated as an outcast. The immigrant has to struggle more than the natives to prove that he or she can do just as well as the natives. Jackson's exaggeration on society's treatment of people showed me how society randomly picks out people of shun and treat inhumanly for no apparent reason.
             Finally Jackson showed how society influences the behavior of our children. The children in the story are not portrayed as innocent beings; they are more brutal than the adults. The children begin the story in preparation of the stoning; they gather stones before the lottery even begin picking out the smoothest and roundest. They act as if the death of someone is just a game because in the end they are also the first to begin throwing rocks at Ms.


Essays Related to Theme of Shirley Jackson's

1. Shirley Jackson

Shirley Hardie Jackson was one of the greatest authors of the twentieth century who wrote over one hundred short stories, novels, plays, and articles. ... Shirley's mother, Geraldine Bugbee Jackson was a descendant from a family of very well known architects. ... And Stephen King's novel Firestarter reads, " To Shirley Jackson, who never had to raise her voice" (Alessio 114). ... Shirley uses this as the theme for this story by having Old Man Warner says "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon (Jackson 297). ... Shirley uses a June morning as the day of the lottery took place in the s...

  • Word Count: 1916
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Resisting Change in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

In the short story "The Lottery," Shirley Jackson uses characterization and symbolism to emphasize that tradition is resistant to change. Followers continue to follow and changes are not made, which illustrates a theme in the story. ... Summers, and Old Man Warner to reinforce the theme of keeping a tradition. ... Shirley Jackson writes, "It had a black spot on it, the black spot Mr. ... The author reiterates the theme when she talks about the practices of the people in the community before the lottery was starting: "Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own child...

  • Word Count: 1068
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Story Behind the Story of "The Lottery"

The Story Behind the Story of "The Lottery" The story of "The Lottery", written by Shirley Jackson is very different in terms of the ways you and me may see the lottery today. ... Shirley Jackson's approach to writing this story was more than just reading the words and meeting the characters. ... Shirley's whole point in writing in this style ties in very well with the overall meaning or theme of the story. ... Throughout the story Jackson conveys a theme through the characters and the setting itself that all ties together at the end of the story. The theme is everything may n...

  • Word Count: 992
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

4. The Lottery

Shirley Jackson takes great care in creating a setting for the story, "The Lottery". ... With the very first words, Jackson begins to establish the environment for her plot. ... Shirley Jackson does not end her story with a resolution to the plot. ... Indeed, the setting expresses "The Lottery's" theme of a hidden reality beneath the surface of everyday lives. ...

  • Word Count: 482
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. The Dysfunctional Lottery

The Dysfunctional Lottery Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", raises many questions in the back of a reader's mind towards the gruesome yet blind rituals of human kind. ... Jackson gave a very cheerful theme; that every morning on June 27 it was clear and sunny, the people of the village would gather at the square and would stuff their pockets with stones. ... Symbolism in the story also supports the theme. ... Jackson's description of the setting supports the theme of the story by displaying how human kind is capable of cruel acts even if they have a cheerful environment. ...

  • Word Count: 556
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Lottery

A Close Encounter with Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. ... From the beggining Jackson takes great pains to present her short story as a folk story. ... The theme learned at the end of the story leads us to think of where the sanity of human beings lies. ... Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day (10:00) and what time of year ("summer") the story takes place. ... The "black box" is the central theme or idea in the story. ...

  • Word Count: 796
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Lottery

Garrison 25 October 2002 A Close Encounter with Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. ... From the beggining Jackson takes great pains to present her short story as a folk story. ... The theme learned at the end of the story leads us to think of where the sanity of human beings lies. ... Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day (10:00) and what time of year ("summer") the story takes place. ... The "black box" is the central theme or idea in the story. ...

  • Word Count: 801
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

"The Lottery", is a short story by Shirley Jackson and is not the casual lottery that you would expect. ... This relates to the theme because we can see that the friends and family members do not care for each other when it comes to this lottery, and their mind is taken by evilness. ...

  • Word Count: 797
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Themes of Evil in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

''The Lottery," a short story of threatening evilness written by Shirley Jackson, is an allegory of village itself. ... Many themes and symbols related and leading to evil can be found in this story, such as: the black box, blindly following tradition and customs, stoning, hypocrisy..." ... This box primarily symbolizes mystery, but later on through the story we can clearly see that it is a perfect example of the overall theme of the story - a symbol of evil, leading to doom and death. ... Another important theme in ''The Lottery'' is the theme of hypocrisy. ...

  • Word Count: 1240
  • Approx Pages: 5

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