Mankind feared the unknown, and feared questioning it, and instead he created answers to comfort him, but the answers while usually are stupid and very disturbing, they are rarely questioned and they are usually followed blindly In the short story "The Lottery," (78) Shirley Jackson puts the phenomenon into words. ... The story develops happily, taking the reader along for this traditional annual lottery that they have in their little town. ... In the story a man talks about the idea of giving up the lottery. ... The unanswered question here is, following such traditions while never question...

• Word Count: 620
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

"The Lottery" clearly expresses Jackson's feelings concerning human kind's evil nature hiding behind traditions and rituals. ... In the story, Mr. ... The names of all the characters in "The Lottery" support the idea that everybody hides their evil nature by way of not expressing it. ... 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. ... Jackson has really been driven to write an evil and cold-hearted short story. ...

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

''The Lottery," a short story of threatening evilness written by Shirley Jackson, is an allegory of village itself. ... She displays hypocrisy and human weakness. ... This story supports the idea that everybody hides their evil nature by way of hypocrisy. ... It is the combination of horror, irony, convention, as well as hypocrisy, brutality and inherent evil of human nature. Many of the flaws of human nature are presented in the story. ...

• Word Count: 1240
• Approx Pages: 5

In the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, the author uses irony to expand on a theme of traditions that continue although they are ludicrous and barbaric. ... The mood of the story at first seems almost festive. ... Then the good-natured folk keep their distance and Mr. ... Names play a major role in the irony of this story. ... When forced with the possibility of death, human nature in all its complexity, comes down to one instinctive urge, that of survival. ...

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

"The Lottery" The publication of Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery," resulted in quite a stir, upsetting many people. Many readers furious and stunned sent numerous letters of complaints and objections after the story was published in The New Yorker. "The Lottery" portrays the dark side of human nature. ... Children at the beginning of the story pick stones, piling them in piles, preparing for the stoning to begin. ... Although at the beginning of the story many of the people are happily conversing, by the time the drawing starts many are nervous. ...

• Word Count: 940
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School