Essays on Shirley Jackson

A Reflection on Human Nature

When The New Yorker published Shirley Jackson’s famous story “the Lottery” in 1948, American readers immediately backlashed against the author and the magazine because they found the topic of the story—a mass stoning of a housewife whose name was drawn at random from a lottery—extremely offensive and grotesque. Readers went as far as cancelling their subscriptions to the magazine and numerous threatening mails started pouring in, addressed to the author and editorial staff of the magazine. Readers were also offended because many easily recognized their rural communities and the typical activities conducted in these places such ...

During the late 1940s, America was made up of small rural villages, in which it was customary for the community leaders to construct civic gatherings, to draw the citizens together at a time when the world was at war with one another. People were encouraged to socialize through town activities that drew them together and create a stronger, more cooperative community. This was the main theme of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”—a story centering on one of the rural communities in America during the 1940s. The story features a lottery being taken place in a community composed of ...

Many authors regard their work as being a single standalone piece of art. By this logic, it can be safe to assume that the authors work their literary pieces to stand out against similar genres of works. However, in some cases many different stories end up sharing the same motif and theme. In many cases like this, it is not because of two authors collaborating to come up with a theme, or lesson, to teach society but a stroke of luck. When forming their stories, authors use society around them to develop their characters, settings, and such so in ...

Horror through Imagination: How do Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, and Shirley Jackson create suspense in their stories “Harvey’s Dream,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Lottery”

Introduction

Suspense is a literary style that is adopted by most authors to invoke the creative minds of the audience. Therefore, the authors intentionally fail to draw a conclusion to an event in a story, but instead live it upon the audience to think. On the other hand, mystery is an occurrence that is beyond human understanding, and in most cases it is associated with murder. This essay is anchored on these ...

The short story “The Missing Girl” by Shirley Jackson is one of the chapters in her book “Just an Ordinary Day”. This short story tells the reader about the girl who went missing. All throughout the story the main characters of the story Chief Hook, Betsy, Old Jane, Hilda Scarlett and the others are trying to find a girl. However, at the end all the people in the town doubt the fact that she has even existed in the first place. This story made me wonder if such case could happen in the real life. And I assume that ...

The Lottery was a short story written by Shirley Jackson about a small village of around 300 people practicing a tradition or a ritual wherein all families, as initially represented by the heads of their families participate in a lottery. The irony of this, however, is that in modern culture, a lottery has generally been associated with good luck or to be more specific, a big fortune. Winning the lottery has, in modern America, been associated with winning a huge sum of cash after getting the right combination of numbers. In the case of Jackson’s The Lottery however, ...

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

“The Lottery” is considered to be the best Jackson`s short story which unites sarcasm, horror, humor and philosophy – all rolled into one. This story was written in June 26, 1948. The author of the story describes the American village of that period of time and the ritual which is observed in almost every city. This ritual is called “The Lottery” and Shirley Jackson makes a reader immersed into details and peculiarities of it. This is a story with an extremely unpredictable ending, which makes the reader somehow confused and shocked. But it is the true reality, which Jackson ...

Introduction

Shirley Jackson is one of the most famous and popular female authors of the XX century. She is mostly famous for her uncanny novels such as The Haunting of the Hill House, We Have Always Live in the Castle as well as her short stories such as The Lottery or The Adventures of James Harris.

Her life may be divided into such periods as:

Childhood and life in California Sуracuse University Life in North Bennington Work for The New Yorker. Childhood and life in California She starts wrіting her novels near the Burlingame in California when she is a teenager. After spending her whole childhood in ...

“In case you never get a second chance: don't be afraid!" "And what if you do get a second chance?" "You take it!” ~ (Anonymous, 2014)

Literature and other disciplines in Humanities fosters a sense of understanding regarding realities that discusses human experiences. From the definition of humanities and coining it from its root word “human”, it means can only originate from an aspect that entirely focuses on the aspect concerning human endeavors. True enough, humanities are a field of study that is involved in the pursuit of gaining understanding of concepts, principles and ideologies relating to human culture ( ...

1. The “Lottery,” a revered story by Shirley Jackson, works on the ironic front to bring forth the fact that a lottery, which may be considered as a fortune, in the metaphorical meaning, is always being picked in the form of a scapegoat.

2. The ritual of the renowned book, Lottery in Shirley Jackson's story appear to be as old as the town itself, particularly since a large portion of the occupants never review any of the revered old rituals. This implies that they are antiquated in a few ways and established in conventions of superstitions that appear to include products and ...

“The Lottery” is a short story written in 1948 by Shirley Jackson. It was first published in June of that year in New Yorker magazine. It tells the story of a present day small town that conducts a lottery every summer on June 27. The purpose of the lottery is not revealed until the very end of the story. Reception for the story at the time was mixed. Many readers were shocked by the ending. It has since become an American classic and regarded as one of the most popular American short stories of all time. It is a required reading for many ...

In the short story “The Lottery”, written by Shirley Jackson in 1948, the author showcases a dystopian future in which tradition and a sense of community is placed above the individual. An ironic twist at the end turns a pleasant, slice-of-life story about a developing society into a morality tale in which our obsession with tradition is taken to its most extreme conclusion. The characters tacitly endorse horrific violence, showing the real monsters that lie at the very core of human nature. With “The Lottery,” Jackson wishes to showcase the foolishness of mob mentality and the gradual erosion of social freedoms from acceptance by ...

The Lottery is a short fiction written by Shirley Jackson. It is a story about a shocking tradition practiced by the people in a certain town. Shirley ironically gives the lottery a bad the ceremony of public stoning, contrary to what it originally means; winning a lot of money. The story focuses around a village during a ceremony they call the lottery that ensures there is enough rain for their crops. In the story, a number of literary devices are used by the author, for example, irony, symbolism, foreshadowing, only to mention but a few. The author uses these literary devices to make her story interesting and to keep ...

‘The lottery’ is luminous piece of literary work by Shirley Jackson. When this short story was published by the New Yorker in the year 1948, it attracted huge controversy and criticism. Jackson, with the help of irony as well as comedy, draws attention towards hypocritical behavior and flaws of the human beings. The story also talks about illogical practices as well as underlying evils of the society. This paper intends to discuss ‘The Lottery’ and several other related aspects. In the journey, after its first appearance, the story has got huge acclamations by the critics as well as ...

When people start living together and share some specific ideology and interests, society is formed. People have a tendency to interact with one another and the exchange their ideas and thoughts on several issues. Due to Such interactions, society, more or less, starts behaving and thinking in a specific way. Society categorizes several ideas as good, bad, necessary, and unacceptable (Jackson). It is not essential that what society believes is right or ethical; it may even be completely unethical. The same trend has been portrayed in Shirley Jackson’s story, "The Lottery”. Jackson, through her words, portrays the dilemma as ...

Introduction

'The Lottery' published in 1948 is one of the most controversial stories of its time. Centered on the theme of tradition, this short story was written by Shirley Jacksons, a notable American author. The story begins with a date mentioned as 27th June of an unspecified year with 300 residents of a small rural town gathering to take part in an annual tradition called 'the lottery'.The opening of the story also mentions about the village boys stuffing their pockets with stones but its connection with the lottery is revealed in the later part of the story. Meanwhile, each household of the village ...

‘Instructor’s Name’

‘Subject’ Compare and Contrast William Faulkner's Barn Burning and Shirley Jackson's The Lottery William Faulkner and Shirley Jackson are two of the most renowned authors of the modern American literature. Despite lack of any formal unity, the works of Faulkner and Jackson share many thematic and stylistic elements. Their stories are laconic, narratives are direct, and they portray ordinary characters in seemingly mundane pursuits. The stories of our discussion ‘Barn Burning’ and ‘The Lottery’ are both very different from each other in their plot, setting, and characterization. However, in both the stories familial and social ties plays a ...

The old wooden black box not only represents the lottery traditions of the people in the small town, it also represents the longstanding dominance of men over women in the society. Changing the customs and traditions surrounding the lottery is deemed unacceptable by the residents as these traditions are deeply rooted with the history of the town. The Lottery serves as a satirical representation of conformity to traditions and customs that are both inhumane and excessive. The lottery, which may have served as a kind of ritual for an abundance of harvest for the village before, has dwindled to a tradition ...

“The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson are two extravagant literary works from the America history. This paper is a comparison and contrast of these two suspenseful and dynamic short stories. These short stories are different to each other in terms of their tone and style, but share tragic ironies. Both of them keeps the reader in the dark throughout the short story, but both of them have powerful emotional endings. “The Lottery” is a tale about an annual tradition in a small village where the whole village comes together, and one of them wins the lottery. ...

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” Mr. Summers is certainly one of the village leaders and he conducts the lottery, but it is Mr. Graves who remains at the edge of the minds of the readers, his silent presence seeming inescapable. Jackson never describes Mr. Graves’ appearance, and even though her short story is rich with dialogue, he does not give him a single line of dialogue. It is like Jackson is pointing out the fact that eventually becomes quite apparent, that the character of Mr. Harry Graves is a major symbol in her short story, after all his last name ...

Introduction

After being released in New Yorker, Sherley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” became the subject of criticism and controversy. In a sardonic yet hilarious tone, Jackson tries to portray human kind as weak and dark imposters. The story is based on a small village, where people are closely bonded together through tradition. For example, one such tradition in which every member of the town takes part is known as “The lottery”. The rules of this tradition are such that lottery takes place annually and a person is randomly selected to be vigorously stoned by friends and family. The hypocrite ...

Analysis (compare and contrast) of the stories ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson and

[The author’s name]

Abstract

This paper will present you with the analysis of two stories, widely acknowledged in the borders of the literary community, in terms of their context, main theme, risen thoughts and issues as well as their reflections caused by their readings. Emphasis will be given not only on their common elements regarding their thematic core but on their different way of approaching it. Both ‘The Lottery’ - written by Shirley Jackson and published on June 26, 1948 - and ‘The ones who walked away from Omelas’ - written by Ursula K. Le Guin and published in ...

Shirley Jackson’s 1948 short story, “The Lottery,” tells the tale of a small village that holds a special lottery event for the entire village each year on the 27th of June (1) . For readers who have never encountered “The Lottery” before, the story’s title may suggest something positive. After all, today most people think of a lottery as an event in which people take a chance to be the recipient of a large amount of cash or some other desirable prize. However, in Shirley Jackson’s story, the lottery the townspeople engage in is a much darker thing, one that results in the ...

In a small town, there is a box that holds power over the people. With years of experience and beyond proud veterans, the box provides a security for those who use it. Though the item is a key to a system, it is a product of foreboding. The Black Box of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” reveals a source of nature that is unquestioned and unexamined. With it or without, the wooden vessel provokes an order that is necessary for its society. The known purpose and the reigning impact of the Black Box is indisputably Death. And following this notion is the fickleness of Human ...

The two novels both have a history when it comes to thrillers in their time. The Haunting of Hill House, a novel by Shirley Jackson is considered a classic among many novel lovers as it captures the imagination of the reader in all possible ways. The Killer Inside Me, by Jim Thompson is a crime novel that has captured audiences around the world. This is with the imaginative and creative form of writing that it takes. Both these authors are legends in their own right, and form the basis for some of the thrillers that are present today. One of the most noticeable ...

Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: a Sketch of the Ethical Disaster

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a weird story. It starts under a bright June sun in a quaint peaceful New England village focusing on the villagers coming to the annual lottery. Children are playing, villagers are talking pleasantly, and now and then their talk drifts to the lottery. One of the crowd, Tessie Hutchinson, comes late, nearly forgetting about the event distracted by some household task, and it is not until she “wins” in both tours, that the reader is informed about the purpose of the lottery. It is a ritual murder, a kind of sacrifice, which takes place every year in June ...

“The Lottery” & The “Interrupters (2011)” Analysis: Violence – An American Tradition Although the United States has long tried to main its self-image as a peace-loving country, however, the truth that violence is prevalent in the nation. From the Virginia Tech massacre to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, there have been countless instances of acts of violence throughout the history of the country. Richard Hofstadter in his book American Violence acknowledges that America has had a conflict-ridden history, however, but he fails to recognize our cultural traditions of violence (Muwakkil). American has its own vivid traditions of both collective and personal ...

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is one of the most famous short stories written in the last century. It is a classic piece of literature, with one of the quintessential elements of an excellent piece-- a truly shocking surprise ending. “The Lottery” explores a number of different thematic ideas, but does a particularly excellent job in presenting the themes of violence and inhumanity, especially as they are expressed against a backdrop of normality. Jackson utilizes a number of rhetorical devices to examine the humanity and inhumanity of the people in the village, and uses the microcosm of the village to represent the state of the ...

Classic English Literature

Shirley Hardie Jackson, a remarkable and popular American author of the 20th century, was born on December 14th, 1916. Shirley Jackson was the daughter of two professionals Leslie Hardie Jackson and Geraldine Bugbee Jackson. From a very young age she had interest in writing and wrote poems and journals, where her journal writing mostly revealed her interest in superstitions and the supernatural. A statement written in a journal in the 1933 New Year’s resolution stated, “seek out the good in others rather than explore for the evil” exposes her interests. At the age of fourteen, she and her family moved to ...

Modern American fiction often concerns itself with identity; the individual is often at stake in part of a larger group, whether it be a family, village, or the societies of a big city. Perhaps it is the very nature of American fiction to place identity at the core of much of its short fiction; as a relatively young country that evolved quickly through colonial times and the industrial revolution, its population comes from around the world yet still seeks to define itself as a nation. Therefore, it is no surprise that in the diverse fiction of America, the theme of identity is wrestled with ...

The first essay answers questions regarding Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour,” where the ending offers more than a small shock as to how and why the female protagonist dies. She does feel a joy that kills, but unfortunately, it is not the joy that ended her life, rather it was the cruel taking away of a joyful life that she intended on living after her husband’s death. The second essay deals with questions regarding Shirley Jackson’s equally shocking story “The Lottery,” which gives a frightening portrayal of what happens when people blindly follow traditions they do ...

On reading Shirley Jackson’s most renowned story “The Lottery,” the reader is left feeling somehow betrayed, because she does not offer her readers a world of black and white, where everything is straightforward. Quite the contrary, her world is a world of opposites merging into one confusing unity of meanings, where the good merges with the bad, resulting in an ironic portrayal of reality and what good actions can lead to. The world of “The Lottery” is a world of individuals who work together as a unity, erroneously believing that they are doing good for themselves and their community, while objectively perceived, ...

Traditional culture in each nation was founded on specific intimate relationships, based on particular living standards and certain moral qualities, on a rich cultural system made out of customs and distinct elements of great depth, all related to essential hypostases of life: birth, youth, marriage, maturity and death. The word tradition, etymologically, has its roots in the Latin language where it meant transmission. In time, the word acquired a broader understanding: cultural values and/or historical heritage. The concept of tradition in particular, can be characterized as psycho-social, multiple, and dynamic, phenomenon which ensures the participation to a specific system of material and ...

Outline

a society plunges into the depths of depravity THESIS: In her short story “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson uses symbolic references to innocence, tolerance and ignorance to show how blindly following tradition leads to disaster.

I: Introduction.

II: The people’s minds are brainwashed to such an extent that they hide behind their imposed, innocent vision of life in the country, where blood sacrifices are a necessity.

A. Readers, the townspeople and the children presented the same – innocent.

B. The black box as a play thing for the townspeople, just like stones are for the children. III: The people of Jackson’s “The Lottery” are safely lulled in their ignorance and keep falsely believing ...