What moral question does the lottery challenge the reader to?
2) From an authorial / reader response perspective, Jackson challenges the reader to question the idea of conformity and blind allegiance to tradition. If we don’t know why we observe a specific tradition, perhaps we should question its usefulness. Besides, it’s good to question and analyze.
What happened to Mrs Hutchinson at the end of the story?
Plot/Resolution: What happens at the end of the story? Mrs. Hutchinson is declared the winner of the lottery, and is stoned to death. This is considered a tradition of the town.
Why do they kill Tessie in the lottery?
Just as the villagers in “The Lottery” blindly follow tradition and kill Tessie because that is what they are expected to do, people in real life often persecute others without questioning why. As Jackson suggests, any such persecution is essentially random, which is why Tessie’s bizarre death is so universal.
Why did they throw stones at Tessie?
For the final drawing, one slip is placed in the box for each member of the household: Bill, Tessie, and their three children. Each of the five draws a slip, and Tessie gets the marked one. The townspeople pick up the gathered stones and begin throwing them at her as she screams about the injustice of the lottery.
Why was Tessie unhappy with the first drawing?
Tessie is unhappy with the first drawing because it means that someone from her family will be stoned to death that day, but it seems as though the thing that upsets her most is her own increased chance of being selected.
Why is Mrs Hutchinson upset?
Hutchinson upset? Mrs. Hutchinson is upset when she draws the slip of paper with the black spot because this indicates that she has “won” the lottery, meaning she will become the town’s annual sacrifice.
Does Davy Hutchinson represent more than just a child?
He is the newest addition to the town and represents all the children who are being born to make up for all the people who are getting stoned to death. Little Davy is also significant because the author shows how he is being conditioned to believe in and participate in the annual death-lottery.
Is Tessie Mrs Hutchinson?
Mrs. Hutchinson (Tessie) shows up late to the lottery and with a light heart, makes a joke upon her arrival. When it comes time to pull, she urges her husband to hurry up and pull a slip of paper a bit mockingly. During the story, Tessie does not take the lottery very seriously, as she and everybody else is used to it.
Does Tessie Hutchinson have children?
The Hutchinson children are named Bill, Jr., Nancy, and Dave. Nancy has supporters in the crowd who openly express hope that she’s not the one chosen.
What type of character is Mrs Hutchinson?
In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” Tessie Hutchinson is first characterized as a harried housewife who has simply forgotten that it is lottery day until she notices her husband and children are gone. It is possible that her forgetfulness is either intentional or a subconscious effort to avoid the lottery.
What are three characteristics of Tessie Hutchinson?
Three character traits of Tessie Hutchinson are tardiness, resistance, and suppression.
How is Tessie Hutchinson selfish?
Hutchinson is selfish because she is willing to literally sacrifice and kill her darlings to save herself. The selfishness from the crowd prevents themselves from assisting Tessie in her distress, realizing that helping Tessie would put their lives at risk.
Would you consider Tessie loyal to her family?
Would you consider Tessie loyal to her family? Tessie is not loyal to her family since she wanted to put her daughter Eva’s life in danger to save her own.
Why does Mrs Hutchinson say that the lottery drawing is unfair?
Hutchinson say that the lottery drawing is unfair? She arrives too late to draw a slip of paper. She knows the result of the lottery is bad. She wants her friend to have another chance.
Why did everyone sign when Little Dave’s paper was blank?
Why did everyone sigh when little Dave’s paper was blank? Everyone sighed because little Dave is only a child and his life was practically spared from being stoned to death. The villagers are holding the annual lottery that will choose one person to become a human sacrifice.
Who is the youngest child of Tessie and Bill?
Davy Hutchinson
What is given to Davey Hutchinson at the end of the story?
The youngest Hutchinson child, Davy, is too young to understand the proceedings of the lottery. But his innocence is contaminated by the lottery as he is handed pebbles to throw at his mother at the end of the story.
How does Jackson’s tone serve to develop the overall theme of the story?
By creating a pleasant, gentle, and playful tone, Jackson lulls the reader into a sense of security. The light and fun tone continues for quite a few more paragraphs. Jackson tells her readers that the townspeople were gathering together in the town square. Children arrived first and began to play and run around.
How does the town respond to Mrs Hutchinson’s lateness?
When Mrs. Hutchinson shows up late, she arrives at the back of the crowd and stands next to Mrs. Delacroix. She tells her she forgot what day it was, and they both softly laughed.
What is the main reason the villagers use stones to kill?
They use stones because stones avoid pinpointing one person as the murderer. What is the main reason why the citizens use stones to kill? The color of the box is black, which generally doesn’t suggest or symbolize something positive.
What is the significance of Tessie’s final scream?
The significance of Tessie’s final scream is to show that protesting an unjust system is pointless once you’re the target.