Show:
Symbolism
Foreshadowing
Irony
Characters
Traditions
100
Name a color that is used symbolically in The Lottery, and explain what it stands for.
Black. Used for the black box, and the paper with a black mark. Stands for death.
100
Give an example on page 1 of foreshadowing, and explain.
Billy pockets full of rocks. "what are the rocks for??"
100
What is Situational Irony?
When the opposite of what is expected to happen, happens.
100
Who is the oldest man in town, how old is he?
Old Man Warner- 77
100
Why did the town switch from using wood chips to pieces of paper in the Lottery?
"..the village was tiny, but now that the population was more than three hundred and likely to keep on growing, it was necessary to use something that would fit more easily into he black box."(pg 2)
200
What does Old Man Warner symbolize?
Outdated/ Old fashioned mindset
200
Find an example of foreshadowing on page 4, and explain.
"Seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery," Old Man Warner said as he went through the crowd. "Seventy-seventh time." - it's impressive he is still alive? They're talking of giving up the lottery
200
How does the first sentence set us up for an ironic ending?
The first sentence makes the town seem happy and safe, but we find out that the town murders one person every year. This is the opposite of what is expected due to the description of setting.
200
Why doesn't Shirley Jackson have Mr. Graves run the Lottery? His name is more appropriate for a murder.
More of a surprise. Irony wouldn't be as effective. Pointing out the dangers of 'seemingly good' things.
200
What other traditions do the town conduct?
square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program (pg. 1)
300
"The black box grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side..." (pg. 2) What does the description of the box symbolize?
The fading/wearing down of tradition overtime.
300
Find an example in which both quiet/nervous behavior is combined with laughter or jokes. Why is this foreshadowing?
"their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." (1) "...and they both laughed softly." (2) It shows things aren't as happy as they might first appear. Somethings wrong.
300
How are Mrs. Delacroix's actions at towards Mrs. Hutchinson (Tessie) ironic?
Mrs. Delacroix acts like Mrs. Hutchinson's (Tessie's) friend at first, but then tells her to "be a good sport" (pg. 5) and picked up the largest rock to stone her.
300
Name 3 facts about Mr. Summers
Round faced- jovial man- no children- wife was a 'scold'- open to changing tradition (make it more practical)- had a coal company- kept the black box all year - clean white shirt and blue jeans.
300
Does Mrs. Hutchinson's attitude towards the tradition of the Lottery shift throughout the story? If so, when and how do you know?
Yes. She jokes around about the lottery when she first arrives, and cheers bill on, on page 4. But once her family draws the dot, she begins to rebel against the the tradition, claiming its unfair.
400
What does the Lottery itself symbolize? Support your answer.
How traditions are often blindly continued without much thought. Anti-semitism/ the holocaust.
400
What about Mrs. Hutchinson's actions might have been considered foreshadowing?
She was late, loud, and panicked when her husband got the dot. The focus is being drawn to her on purpose. Because the story focuses on her more, we might expect the final event to focus on her.
400
How is Old Man Warners comment, "Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves..."(pg. 4) ironic?
Dramatic irony: Old Man Warner believes that not following tradition is uncivilized, but as readers we know killing people is uncivilized. The readers know Old Man Warner is wrong.
400
What does the fact that Mrs. Hutchinson wants her older daughter to draw with the family reveal about Mrs. Hutchinson's character?
She is self-centered- she is scared of death
400
How has the role of "the official of the lottery" changed over the years?
He used to have to partake in an opening recital, and sing a tuneless chant. Some believed he used to stand still some thought he walked through the crowd. There was an official salute to each drawer.
500
"Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones." (pg. 7) Based on this quote what do the stones represent? Explain.
Although the villagers had forgotten many of the traditions, they remembered to use stones. This suggests that while the villagers do hold value tradition, they may not value it as much as violence.
500
"Here," he said. "I'm drawing for my mother and me." He blinked his eyes nervously and ducked his head as several voices in the crowd said thins like "Good fellow, lack"(3)- How is this foreshadowing?
It hints that something happened to the boys father ( maybe won last years lottery?), the boy is nervous, and people are encouraging him --> danger
500
Why does Shirley Jackson use Irony in, The Lottery?
Irony, helps highlight the issue that even in seemingly normal communities, not all traditions make sense to continue, and some can even be very harmful.
500
Why might the children behave the way they do towards the lottery?
They are too innocent to know what's going on, they are influenced by their parents and the other town members.
500
Is the black box what was originally used in the Lottery? What does this tell us about the Lottery?
No. "The original paraphernalia...had been lost long ago...the black...had been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born." (pg. 1) Lottery is much over 75 years old.