Today I will be presenting the similarities between the Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, and The Hunger Games, by Susanne Collins.
Slide 2:
Both stories features a dystopian society routinely engaging in genocide
This is dystopian in that everything appears to be in working order, or to be ok, with society at first but then a major problem is revealed in the form of the ceremonial killing of citizens. The Lottery never justifies the killing, but the Hunger games, the genocide occurs as a way for the Capital to maintain control over the districts.
Slide 3:
Both stories feature a lottery in which individuals are selected to die. Though the process is slightly different in these stories. The end result is the same. In each story there is a lottery, which everyone must enter into, those selected will suffer a violent death at the hands of their peers. However, in The Hunger Games a specific name is drawn, while in The Lottery, someone must draw the black dot.
Slide 4: They are Similarly Ceremonial
In both stories everyone from the city must come to a single location, in a ceremonial way, for the drawing of the lottery. The Hunger Games uses the same ceremonial bowl every year, while The Lottery uses the Black Box, but in both cases there is a strong sense of ceremonialism, and a clearly established annual tradition with anticipated protocols.
Slide 5: Privileged Citizens are less likely to be selected.
It becomes clear in the text of both stories that not everyone is equally likely to be selected for death. In the Hunger Games the very poor can enter their names extra times in order to receive additional food. So they are more likely to be drawn. Those from the capital never have to participate in the reaping. In the Lottery it is clear that Mr. Summers, who organizes the ceremony, does not every draw a slip of paper, and so is not equally at risk of being stoned.
Slide 6: There are those who have escaped
In both texts it is clear that some have become morally outraged and refused to continue to conduct the ceremonies. In The Hunger Games there are Rumors about District 13. District 13 has left the union under the capital and no longer is subject to the Reaping. Some citizens of the districts have run away to 13 in order to escape the violence and genocide in their society. Similarly, in The Lottery there are whispers about villages that no longer have the ceremony.
Slide 7: References
Jackson, Shirley. The Lottery. 1948. Web.
Collins, Susanne. The Hunger Games. 2008. Print.
