The Lottery

A detailed Summary of The Lottery


Shirley Jackson's most popular short story "The Lottery" possesses many characteristics of shock and flaws in human nature. The shock is created with the contrast between the society and the savage act that they commit. The flaws in human nature that murder is a tradition in the village. Also, that the characters in her story have a lack of emotion and foresight. "This short story gives the sinister after the innocuous instead of the two simultaneously"(223). The short story "The Lottery" is frightening because it succeeds in revealing flaws in human nature.

In "The Lottery", we are horrified by the atrocity of this ruthless murder committed on a completely innocent person. The ending of this short story is shocking because prior to the murder of Tessie Hutchinson t


"If anything is illogical about the total ritual it may be the stoicism of the participants and their complete willingness to sacrifice themselves or members of their families" (231). In the story Jackson reveals the primary flaw in human nature to be following a tradition for no apparent reason (235). Initially this stoning ritual is carried out to insure a good harvest but in the current setting of this story it is unnecessary and its participants senselessly kill an innocent victim without knowing why (235). "In Jacksons world, the guilty are not greedy or crazy individuals but society itself acting collectively and purposely, like a slightly preoccupied lynch mob" (229).

Shirley Jackson illustrates shock and flaws in human nature in her short story "The lottery." The

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Tessie Hutchinson, Shirley Jackson, Shirley Jackson's, Lottery Delecroix, human nature, flaws human nature, short story, flaws human, shirley jackson, short story lottery, savage act, story lottery, story lack emotion, society savage act, society savage, contrast society, story lack, jackson reveals, contrast society savage,

Approximate Word count = 527
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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