Jackson herself read all these letters, and incorporated them into a talk she gave on a number of occasions, "Biography of a story" where she took wry pleasure in the musings and misunderstandings readers communicated to her. In a way, it's rather like what happens instantaneously on Twitter or Facebook today; a writer impugns her readers' values and beliefs, and is suddenly called into the court of public shame. Only Jackson wasn't ashamed, only bemused -- and the story ended up as a breakthrough moment in her career.
Perhaps no less remarkable is that the tale was taken up for a film treatment in 1969 by Encyclopedia Britannica, whose film series was, in nearly all other cases, drily educational. Their director Larry Yust, whose other EB shorts included "Electrons at Work" and "How to Produce Current with Magnets," did not flinch at the story's subject-matter, or soften it in any way. The soft Kodachrome tones of his production make the blood at the end even redder. It's been adapted several times since, but never so effectively.
Once again this week we have four discussion questions -- choose one and post your reply below (you don't need to paste the entire question in, just your response).
Rawan Altekreeti
ReplyDeleteI think "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson tries to show why authority should be questioned and and not taken for granted. For example, It was a tradition that each family attended the lottery regardless of the outcomes or how busy they were; everyone simply had to show up even the children. The Town's people followed this tradition whole heartedly for many years. However some of the villagers like Mr. Adams tried to at least reason with the Town's elder Old man Warner about holding the lottery as many other villages and countries had dropped the lottery tradition but Old man Warner wanted to hear none of these because he believed that stopping the tradition could only cause more trouble to the village.
I remember reading this story back in high school, the ending caught me so off guard which is probably still why I remember the story so well . The irony of the story is what makes it so interesting, it is seemed like something positive when its really opposite. Many movies and shows have a similar plot. But when reading or watching such I think of me in that position and how hard it must be to have no power over your life. -Carolyn Perez
ReplyDeleteI would first like to say that this story is very eerie and horrible to even think about especially the ending where the story tells us that little Davey was handed some pebbles that he would be throwing at his own mother as their town stoned her to death. This story Definity reminds me a bit of the hunger games as they would pick someone from each town to be selected to partake and most likely be killed in a murderous event. I would say the only difference is with the hunger games you could survive if you're lucky and win the game whereas in the lottery you're going to be killed by getting stones thrown at you.
ReplyDelete“The Lottery” illustrates a blind tradition where people follow it without reason. It’s presumed that this tradition has been going on for many years, but the viewers are unknown to the reason why it’s done and it isn’t explicitly mentioned to the townsfolk. Regarding the film adaptation, it’s interesting to see the sudden change of tone regarding the tradition when you’re the one who chose wrongly. Everyone was chatting as if it were a normal day, and that this tradition was completely normal. The children were playing and chatting about the boys they liked, the women were talking about their hobbies. Tessie was seen to be joking around and laughing all before her husband chose the paper with the dot. It was only then she exclaimed how the process wasn’t fair and that they should redo it.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Parker
I would say that "The Lottery" and "The Hunger Games" have many similarities. First, because they both have the theme of tradition each year. Another similarity is the dystopian societies that they both have. One difference is that in Hunger Games they choose 24 young people, 2 from each district where as in The Lottery they choose one to stone to death. I definitely saw the connection between the two of these stories and enjoyed reading The Lottery and making the connections as I read it between these two. I have been a fan of the Hunger Games, both the books and films for a long time so I enjoyed reading The Lottery and seeing the similarities.
ReplyDelete- Rebecca Fyrer
I can see the reasoning behind why people believe "The Lottery," has influenced "The Hunger Games" series. Both stories explore themes related to sacrifice, the manipulation of power, and the darker aspects of human nature. However, they do so in different contexts and with varying narrative elements. Both stories involve a ritualistic sacrifice that the society accepts as normal. In "The Lottery," the sacrifice is a member of the community chosen by a brutal draw. In "The Hunger Games," it's the selection of tributes to fight to the death in a televised event for the amusement of the elite. - Katherine Arthurs
ReplyDeleteI think if people were to respond to “The Lottery”, it will feel very chaotic if they respond using social media. Today, people often share their opinions on celebrities, politics, videos, books, etc. and most of the time some of those people are very passionate about their beliefs. With social media, people are able to share their opinions with others with just a click of a button. If people were to post on social media vs sending letters, it could reach a wider audience since many people use social media. People can respond to each other and since many of the responses were negative, it would increase the amount of hate towards the story. More and more people can weigh in on their opinions, vs just the author or the magazine reading the letters.
ReplyDelete-Jessyca Iswanto
Both stories illustrate futuristic environments that utilize sacred, public gatherings to keep population control. The central theme of both revolves around the brutality and randomness of violence. In both narratives, there's a sense of community being complicit in the violence, through participation. Both of the protagonists in both stories, Tessie Hutchinson in "The Lottery" and Katniss Everdeen in "The Hungar Games" are strong, resourceful young women who must confront the brutal realities of their worlds. With the differences "The Lottery" focuses on a single annual event and explores the horrors of blind tradition, while "The Hungar Games" has a broader narrative spanning multiple games and shows rebellion, media manipulation and the consequences of a power-hungry government.
ReplyDelete"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is about a small town in New England that annually has an event that consists of choosing one person to be stoned to death. Nowadays, this topic would not be taken lightly whatsoever. Every influencer, celebrity, actress, neighbor, so on and so forth would be using their platform as a way to promote how morally wrong stoning people is. On almost every platform, there is an option to anonymously comment under other peoples posts, so if you did not want your identity revealed, that wouldn't happen. When it comes down to death penalties, the US takes it very seriously and the act itself barely happens. The main theme of ''The Lottery'' is the power of tradition and ritual. The tradition of the lottery is continued every year even though the original meaning behind the event has long been lost. However, through the power of social media and influencing, traditions can be broken.
ReplyDelete-Ava Perry
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is interesting in that the reader is under the assumption that the lottery is a good thing, and that the winner is the lucky one. This expectation is turned around, meaning that the winner is actually the unlucky one. This is the exact scenario as seen in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games has a lottery pick but its for two competitors to fight to the death against the other districts. Both seem to have the goal of limiting population and the satisfaction of being involved in the death of an individual whenever these traditions come around. The Lottery is different from the Hunger games in that the winner of the Lottery is instantly stoned by all participants, whilst in the Hunger Games, they at least have the opportunity to win and survive the competition.
ReplyDelete- Garet Reilly
Many current practices have a strong resemblance to some of the realistic fiction-like elements seen in "The Lottery". For example, bullying online can be viewed as a contemporary version of exclusion and shame, in which people utilize technology to promote hatred toward other people. The victim could suffer severe effects on their sense of self-worth as a result, as well as loneliness and maybe despair. An additional instance is cancel culture, where individuals are despised and humiliated for their former actions as well.
ReplyDelete^^^^Dorothy Tavares
DeleteI think the lottery and the hunger games do have similarities. In the lottery someone is picked to be stoned to death as a tradition, while in the hunger games two people, a boy and girl are randomly drawn to fight to the death in an arena with other individuals. Both stories have similar themes of morality, violence, and tradition. Both stories also have some figure or government that has more power than those who live there. In the lottery that person is an old man warner, he believed the tradition of the lottery should be kept. In contrast to the hunger games president snow was the head of the capital and he had the say of the hunger games tradition and he too believed the games should continue. I also think a key difference between the two stories is the rebellion against these traditions. In the lottery the town folks who live there don’t have any plans to put an end to the lottery out of fear. However in the hunger games there is a rebellion, Katniss starts a revolution to end the games.
ReplyDelete- Ashley Hernandez
I think both “The Lottery” and “The Hunger Games” have many similarities. Both stories put chance and luck to the test, ending in death or facing the threat of death. In both stories they would choose a few people to participate from each town. While picking in "The Lottery" meant definite death, in "The Hunger Games" there was at least a chance of survival and to return home. It was intriguing to see how people's opinions of stoning quickly shifted in “The Lottery” if a loved one was chosen to participate. That is one thing different from "The Hunger Games", while people from districts 1 through 12 disliked the games, those in the capital enjoyed them. There were two different sides in “The Hunger Games” and in “The Lottery” people's opinions changed only when it inconvenienced them.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the Lottery short film I can see some similarities with the Hunger Games novels and Movies. Both of them have the lottery type picking system where that person is going to be either stoned to death or put into a fight to a death. We see in the Hunger games a fight to the death event that gets broadcasted for all the world to see where as in the Lottery it is just the people in the small town that witness it. Another thing I noticed that was very different is that in the Lottery everyone is laughing and talking a bunch before the pick, but in the Hunger Games it is totally different everyone has a grim look on there face maybe some hatred towards it and some scared people also. In the end I do see the similarities and also differences of the two types of content.
ReplyDeleteThere is lots of irony in "The Lottery." First off, typically when you think of lottery you think of the chances to win money which is an exciting and happy. Although, that is not the case in this story it brings about violence. More irony I noticed in this story was the characters give an impression as to have a happy and pleasant attitude but next thing you know they are violently throwing rocks and hurting someone. The people of the community seem so concord and then they are killing one of their members no problem. It is a very odd dynamic.
ReplyDeleteKaleigh Hopkins
ReplyDeleteIf "The Lottery" were published today, it would experience a magnified and distinct response due to the ubiquity of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. The story's impact would be amplified as opinions spread rapidly across the internet. This immediacy would facilitate interactions where readers, even those with opposing views, engage through videos, posts, and comments. This dialogue could lead to instant critiques and discussions, and it could also foster the creation of fan art and theories, expanding the narrative's reach. The story's themes and symbolism would receive multifaceted interpretations on various digital platforms, and fans might delve into discussions via podcasts, online book clubs, and YouTube channels. Overall, social media would offer an interactive and far-reaching arena for the story, redefining the way readers engage with literature and fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas.
The Lottery tells a story of a small American town whose residents follow a tradition to run to the lottery each year to select one person that they will stone to death. This tradition is old and forgotten, but the residents still persist on following it anyway, without knowing the consequences behind it. It is misunderstood the danger of following this tradition. The setting of this story makes “the lottery” seem like a happy occurrence, but in reality each residents selection allows people to take out their anger and violence on the person who gets selected. I was not expecting this story to take a turn like it did, which kind of made it disturbing to read. I was expecting to read a story about someone winning the lottery, because we think of the lottery as a good thing. Instead, we read a story about residents getting stoned to death which is ironic considering the name of this story.
ReplyDelete-Nicollette DeFusco
I do see the connection between the Hunger Games and the lottery because there is a prize at the end to be won. Family is involved and the community is there to cheer or to woe. One difference I must point out is that in the lottery cards or paper are being drawn but in the Hunger Games; a game is played that involves life or death.’ I would say the lottery walked so hunger games could run’, the lottery is done because of the illogical belief that the crops would grow and people will thrive if it is done.
ReplyDeleteOlolade Ojekunle
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins share common themes regarding societal issues. In "The Lottery," there's a cautionary tale about blindly adhering to traditions and the potential cruelty within a community. Meanwhile, "The Hunger Games" explores topics like inequality, power dynamics, and the consequences of a society overly fixated on entertainment, even if it means lives are at stake. Both stories depict how people can become desensitized to violence, whether it's the nonchalant stoning in "The Lottery" or the Capitol citizens treating deadly competitions as mere TV shows in "The Hunger Games."The main difference lies in their settings. "The Lottery" unfolds in a seemingly ordinary small town, providing an intimate look at local dynamics. In contrast, "The Hunger Games" is situated in a dystopian future where society is divided into districts under the control of the Capitol, offering a broader canvas to explore social issues.
ReplyDelete"The Lottery" is based off of tradition. Tradition is doing it over and over again over a span of a period of time. Not for a reason, but because that's what they're used to doing. I personally never seen the Hunger Games so I don't know the comparisons that this story and that series would have. However, to say the least the way this story started vs how It ended left me with me astonished. Just knowing the house be stoning his mother was just mind blowing. I was pleased with It in the beginning, but the way it ended I am not interested in the story.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that the story captures a horrendous act of choosing a person to be stoned to death and calls it "the lottery". I believe that giving something like this a name that is almost joyous and life changing in our society is cruel. This is similar to the "Hunger Games" for having the same action of drawing a name for someone to die. Except in the hunger games they get to fight for their life and have the chance of not dying at the end.
ReplyDeleteThe townspeople gather in the town square for the annual lottery, a tradition that has been carried out for generations. The lottery is conducted with a black box, and each family draws a slip of paper. The tension in the air becomes palpable as the townspeople nervously participate in the ritual.
ReplyDeleteI see the connection between “The Lottery” and The Hunger Games because they both have protagonists standing up for justice and how their traditions take place at the same time every year. “The Lottery” may have been an inspiration for The Hunger Games because in “The Lottery” they take chances that can or do have the possibility of death which is similar to The Hunger Games. Fate and morality run in both stories. A difference between the two are that in “The Lottery” the winners die instantly after being chosen from the stoning to death by the villagers while in The Hunger Games the people who are chosen are forced to compete against each other in deadly fights which is captured live for the other citizens to watch.
ReplyDelete-Elena Ruggieri
The Lottery is really similar to The Hunger Games. It is based on tradition, one that seemed forced upon. Which is why I find it similar to The Hunger Games. As well as them taking chances that can lead them to death. The main difference between The Lottery and The Hunger Games is their endings. In The Hunger Games people have to make difficult choices and fight each other until there is a winner. Unlike in The Lottery, the winners are selected by the villagers to be stoned to death. The beginning and end were what most stuck out to me.
ReplyDelete- Emily Torrez
I find it extremely likely that, if The Lottery were released today, many would inevitably project their own interpretations of the story onto others. Cancel culture is more prominent now than ever. I can imagine that many individuals, across both the Internet and in public spaces, would react with vitriol, and outcry at what they perceive the story to be saying. Personally, I felt that the story was merely a commentary on the refusal to give up traditions, even when those traditions may be harmful. We see examples of this all throughout the world even now. Changes in culture and social hierarchy are always going to be met with at least some skepticism. When an individual (or individuals in this case) have dedicated themselves to a way of life, it’s far more tempting to resist change. I could see many modern folk easily misunderstanding this point and instead, turn the tale into more of a targeted allegory. Even though the story does not directly associate the titular ”Lottery” itself with any specific real world ideology, it’s hardly far-fetched to assume that some people would feel that they were being called out directly by this subject matter. Now obviously the story is ambiguous on purpose and interpretation is encouraged. But I seriously doubt Shirley Jackson was aware of the future concepts of Internet campaigns, online culture and hashtags when creating this story. I believe the story was already met with some pushback when it released initially. It is nonetheless an interesting speculation to imagine what the public reaction to The Lottery would be now. — Jaymes R.
ReplyDelete