After reading THE LOTTERY (1)

There is a lot written about this shortstory and I have selected two pieces/links from the web as a follow-up for those of you who would like to go a little bit more into the story itself and the authoress.


The first one is The Power of Symbols by Dr Randy Laist. He discusses the symbolism in Shirley Jackson's story.

The second link provides more information on the authoress and her story SHIRLEY JACKSON  You will be able to read about the background to The Lottery and Jackson's "response to questions about the 'meaning' of the story".


On a coming third post I will write about the way my advanced students and me will tackle this story from a language perspective. The use of verb tenses, adjectives and adverbs, and how the different paragraphs are laid out to walk the reader out of their comfort zone which previously set them in by both the title and the peaceful summer day-scenario. I can still recall the disturbance and unease Mrs Hutchinson's last words provoked in myself. Last but not least, when you read the story a second time, those stones the children are gathering playfully at the beginning become deadly premonitory.