The Lottery By Shirley Jackson, 1948

(Image generated by Gemini)

Q: Given that this story was written in 1948, what do you think was the author’s message or purpose?  What did she want to explore?  How does the twist/shock ending help her accomplish her goal?  Why do you think the story provoked outrage when it first came out?

A: 

The author wanted to warn people that people could be brainwashed into doing brutal things to each other and believing they were doing the right things, including killing a mother by her own children and town people who actually loved her. 

She wanted to make people think about why World War II happened and how we could avoid making the same mistakes.

She accomplished this by setting up a specific foreshadowing: a quiet little town, quite peaceful and no conflict for the most part until the last session. The stark contrast between the peaceful town people and what they do to a mother creates a very shocking effect. It makes the reader startled and think. 

The American people didn’t think they could be brainwashed like this. They thought it could only happen in Nazi Germany.  

Q: Why do you think delaying the conflict until much later in the story than is usual contributes to her purpose?  What about the pleasant, even nostalgic tone in the description of the setting and in the narrator’s voice?  What about the lack of individuation of the characters except for a little more characterization for Tessie?

A: 

The delaying of the conflict creates a much bigger surprise for the reader. It is harder for people to anticipate something so brutal at the end. The setting is made to make you feel safe and at ease. You may feel like it’s just something a little bit scary. 

The characters are mostly normal town people. No one seems like a monster or evil person. Tessie is the victim. The extra characterization of her makes you feel connected to her and feel sad and shocked for what happened to her at the end.