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 characters are honoring a tradition that is handed down to them from former generations. The reader is led through the seemingly normal and quaint little village, and is taken on a ride of ironic horror as he or she slowly grasps the eventual fate of one inhabitant of the village. Shirley Jackson also uses symbolism to make us aware of the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The title "The Lottery" implies a contest with a winner of some kind, like a sweepstakes. When in reality, the "Lottery" is not about what is won but what is 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 distance and Mr. Summers must ask for help. There seemed to be a resigned air among the citizens. The narrator recounts a partial history of rituals involving the black box, complete with rumors of chants, recitals, stances, dim memories of the way the lottery used to be conducted. The reminiscing serves as a reminder to the villagers of the way things are and the way they have always been. The sheer weight of generations of villagers following the lottery tradition is felt. The mood of the people shifts from friendliness, to false boasting, to relief and finally nervous release as they fulfill the obligation of stoning the victim. .
The village, by all appearances, seems to be a normal and ordinary place with its inhabitants meeting in a square with festival like intentions. Children are playing, men are talking about the rain and taxes, and the women are chatting amongst themselves.
In Buddhist terms this noble truth translates into Dukkah. ... The second noble truth is "suffering is caused by craving." ... The third noble truth is the 'the extinction of craving'. ... Once nirvana has been achieved, you shall move on to the next noble truth. ... This fourth truth is the eightfold path. ...
Thus, our ancestors began the great oral tradition of passing down their stories and experiences from one generation to another so that the next generation could learn and benefit from them. ... Moreover, many of the same themes and morals transcend both European and Native American oral traditions. ... For the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico the oral tradition of storytelling is an intricate part of their culture. ... The Pueblo Indian children begin this great oral tradition by hearing about their creation. ... Both cultures also have the same purpose in mind, which is to demonstrate age-ol...
" -Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners Is it really a travesty to break tradition? ... The value placed on tradition is instilled in us from the moment we are old enough to understand what tradition means. ... Tradition is vital in the preservation of culture and the development of society, however, tradition is not always healthy for the personal growth of individuals. ... The doubts festered and cultivated in Dead Poets Society did not propagate from a single event or idea, rather from the realizations of truths that were as complicated as the characters themselves. ... His sui...
As the title of Alexie's tale indicates this story is primarily about a Native tradition, in this case a Spokane tradition involving ritual drug use. ... In essence this is a way to preserve tradition as the title of the tale implies. ... This type of approach would be very much in keeping with the initial idea of the "ancestral laughing ghosts" in the beginning as Victor comments that no one is certain just who the ghosts are laughing at, the Indians or the Whites, and he thinks they are laughing at everyone.(387) It is quite possible that this is a metaphor for Alexie himself, who appro...
Romance Tradition and the Frame Narrative in The Princess Bride William Goldman's The Princess Bride is a metafictional story that both celebrates and questions various aspects of the romance tradition. The romance tradition is celebrated in The Princess Bride through a heroic tale of fantasy and happy endings. ... At the same time the book is a celebration of the romance tradition by the simple fact that it is written within the tradition itself. ... This device allows Goldman to further amuse himself (and us) in his mockery of the romantic tradition. ... The Princess Bride i...
In Buddhist terms this noble truth translates into Dukkah. ... The third noble truth is the 'the extinction of craving'. ... Once nirvana has been achieved, you shall move on to the next noble truth. The fourth noble truth is about 'Means', how Buddhist should live life. This fourth truth is the eightfold path. ...
The "Edmundite Tradition" closely mirrors many of Robert Putnam's recurring themes throughout his entire dissertation on America's declining social trends. The "Edmundite Tradition" embodies exactly what Putnam describes as the pitfall of America. ... The "Edmundite Tradition" is seemingly Putnam's ideal mission, to respect the dignity of all humans, to search for truth, develop moral character, to provide service and help to those around us, and to value community. Ideally, if everyone participated in the smallest way in the "Five Pillars" of the "Edmundite Tradition" the so...
Tradition is a very important factor in many sports. Any athlete who is competitive in a sport will tell you never to alter tradition. In a game of hockey, you can usually bet on seeing a fight as a thrilling tradition. ... It is even a possibility that when a tradition as big as fighting is tampered with, players will quit on behalf of those who would be out of a job. ... The truth is, very rarely do injuries happen when two players drop the gloves. ...
The Courage to acknowledge truth that transcends your own. ... The two oldest traditions that Bellah and the others social scientists identified they chose to name as the Republican and the Biblical traditions. ... The utilitarian tradition appears to be the most dominant in Australia today. ... The Courage to acknowledge truth that transcends your own. Beyond the stance that each individual may adopt, there remains the possibility that we may be wrong, and that there remains a truth that values, respects and honours the autonomy that "owns" a tradition or belief system, but nonethele...
