Introduction
The short
story The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, is a story that has horrified,
mystified, and fascinated readers since the day it was published. There are a
variety of interpretations of the ending, almost all of which are revealing,
but none of which seem wholly satisfying. Possibly the reason this story is so
fascinating is because it is so simple, yet so multifaceted.
Guiding
Question
Every story
exists in relation to the personality as well as the history and culture of its
author. Sometimes a really great story reaches further to fundamental aspects
of human culture and psychology, both good and bad. What historical, cultural
and biographical events and phenomenon influenced Shirley Jackson in writing The
Lottery?
Questions
1. Text of
the story The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson:
http://www.etni.org.il/literature/lottery/Lottery.htm
2. Who was the author, Shirley Jackson?
3. When was she born and where did she grow up?
4. What did she do for a living?
5. What other stories did she write?
6. How did she spend her time? What kind of personality did she have?
7. Who did she marry and where did she spend her adult years?
8. When did she die?
9. Authors are often influenced by the major events going on in the time period
in which they live. What major world events occurred over the course of
Jackson's life?
10. What does she say about her story?
11. Human sacrifice is probably as old as religion and was practiced in
every part of the world at one time or another. What are the reasons behind it?
12. What function did it serve? What did people think they would accomplish by
sacrificing other humans?
13. What is stoning? What forms has it taken and for what reasons was
this method of killing employed?
14. What were the Salem Witch Trials? What were the various reasons for
the trials?
15. What was the Holocaust? What reasons did the Nazi's have to attempt
to exterminate large sections of European society?
16. How was the Nazi Holocaust related to Nazi propaganda
17. What was the Stanford Prison Experiment?
18. What implications about human behavior did psychologists take away from the
disturbing outcome of the experiment?
19. What is mob behavior? How do people act differently when they are in
large groups?
20. What are examples of this altered human behavior in the news or recent
history?
Internet
Resources
Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson and The
Lottery Interpretation
Shirley Jackson - Life and
Work
Human Sacrifice
More on Human
Sacrifice
Stoning
The
Salem Witch Trials
The
Holocaust
The
Nazi and Propagandas
Stanford
Prison Experiment
Mob
Behavior
More on Mob Behavior
Green Wall of Silence
Activities
1. Make a
poster-sized chart of all the historical events that you believe influenced The
Lottery. Present the poster to the class and explain how each relates to
the plot and theme of the story.
2. Make a poster-sized timeline of the life of Shirley Jackson. Include all the
major events of her life and any events you feel might be relevant to her
writing The Lottery. Pick some of the events and explain how they may
have influenced Jackson in writing The Lottery and present it to the
class.
3. The ending is a surprise to most people. Shirley Jackson purposely confuses
the reader by focusing on mundane and even pleasant aspects of the town
meeting, but there are clues to the horrific outcome. Make a T-Chart of quotes
from the story that serve to obfuscate the ending vs.
quotes that hint at the ending.
4. Write an essay explaining the phenomenon of "mob behavior" and how
it relates to the theme of The Lottery. Cite experiments and real events
that psychologist feel are examples of mob behavior and compare them to events
in the story.
5. Write a narrative account of events to which you,
your friends or your family have first hand knowledge that you feel bear some
resemblance to the events in The Lottery. It may not be on the same
level as the ending of The Lottery, but probably at one time or another
you have witnessed people act in a disturbing or even just mean way towards
people for no apparent reason. Write about it in the form of a story.
Sharon Anderson, artist and teacher, developed this web
hunt.
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