... , is married to Bill and they have four children: Bill Jr., Nancy, Davey, and Eva (who lives with her husband, Don). She shows up almost late for the drawing and jokes saying she "clean forgot what day it was" (135). Everyone laughs and smiles with her. Mr. Summers has been waiting patiently and says, "Thought we were going ... to have to get on without you, Tessie" (135). She jokes about not wanting to leave dishes in the sink. The crowd chuckles with her, but then quickly settles back down to await the drawing. Tessie is all smiles and even ... ...

• Word Count: 1102
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... talk still of the classroom" (78). Yet beneath the normality of the setting there is an undertone of reservation. For example, she describes the men standing around telling jokes yet she states that "their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed" (78). One of the leaders and most important men of the town is Mr. Summers, who runs the lottery ... ...

• Word Count: 467
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... does and will be done quickly. And just like Mr. Summers, Tessie Hutchinson fails to be on time. She shows up late and wonders her way through the crowd making jokes about the fact. It is showing again that there is no real seriousness to the tradition of The Lottery anymore. To make the point, "Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along ... ...

• Word Count: 1400
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... , she tries to fight against. Before Mrs. Hutchinson is chosen, she showed up to the lottery late, having "clean forgot what day it was" (291). She is making jokes and going along with the lottery. Mrs. Hutchinson is all in for the lottery until she is the one who will be sacrificed in the end then speaks out against ... ...

• Word Count: 705
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... lost. The mood of the story at first seems almost festive. Then in small, but telling glimpses we are told that the men are smiling rather than laughing at the jokes, and the conversation among the bystanders turns to murmurs as the town official, Mr. Summers arrived in the square, carrying the "black box." Then the good-natured folk keep their ... ...

• Word Count: 1008
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... a small town are preparing to hold a lottery. There is a feeling of excitement in the air, but the reader also senses a feeling of nervousness. The townspeople greet each other and make jokes while the preparations for the event of the day are completed. The lottery gets underway and soon the reader is hurled into the most unexpected turn of events. Instead of ... ...

• Word Count: 758
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... by mentioning the pile of stones and the way the older characters distance themselves from it. "They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed" (1). The observant reader is able to sense that something is not quite right about the atmosphere. These suspicions are confirmed come the ... ...

• Word Count: 822
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... that the stones hold a bigger function than just boys playing around. Instead of the men being casual and cheerful as they might be at a town gathering she says that "their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." This makes the distinction that the men might be putting up a front rather than being completely comfortable with the situation. When the ... ...

• Word Count: 1119
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... example, the children gather in the square and begin to play. Playing as such shows little or no feelings of sadness or anxiety. Also the men gather and tell quiet jokes among themselves as they talk of weather and tractors. All the while, the women are gossiping. Another surprisingly upbeat conversation occurs between Mrs. Hutchinson and Mr. Summers. Here Mr. Summers ... ...

• Word Count: 654
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... story later on. Also the other hint in the story is this part concerning the women: "They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed". After reading that part, the question that comes to our mind is "Why are the women afraid of the pile of stones ... ...

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

... her death. Her fate was upon her from the beginning according to Jackson. She shows up late to the meeting joking with the women and Mr. Summers. All of her jokes turned into pleas and accusations once she drew out the specified "death" paper. She made such accusations that it "wasn't fair" (82) and that Mr. Summers "didn't give him time ... ...

• Word Count: 1301
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... the beginning according to Jackson. She shows up late to the meeting joking with the women and Mr. Summers (who was ironically the only other one late). All of her jokes turned into pleas and accusations once she visited that little black box. She made such accusations that it "wasn't fair" and that Mr. Summers "didn't give him time enough to ... ...

• Word Count: 804
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... year. The school of the town was recently over for the summer. The boys and the girls of the town had a feeling of liberty. They were playing, laughing and making jokes. The children were enjoying their vacation and having fun. The girls were gathering together aside talking about themselves and looking over their shoulders at the boys. The men of the ... ...

• Word Count: 366
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... that the stones hold a bigger function than just boys playing around. Instead of the men being casual and cheerful as they might be at a town gathering she says that "their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." This makes the distinction that the men might be putting up a front rather than being completely comfortable with the situation. When the ... ...

• Word Count: 1053
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... the beginning of the selection and how the older people distance themselves from it. She explains, "They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed" (Jackson 78). This incident shows the reader that something is not right about this society. The reader eventually learns that the gathering ... ...

• Word Count: 746
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School