Rapid Fire Study Guide of:

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Rapid Fire Study Guide of
The Lottery
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About the Author
Shirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1919 to
Leslie and Geraldine Jackson and grew up about
thirty miles away from San Francisco in
California. As a child, Shirley was interested
in sports and literature and began writing poetry
and short stories. Jackson enrolled in the
liberal arts program at the University of
Rochester in 1934. But after periods of
unhappiness and questioning the loyalty of her
friends, she withdrew from the university. For
the next year Shirley worked night and day on her
writing. In doing so she established work habits,
which she maintained for the rest of her life.
In 1937, she entered Syracuse University. For the
next two years, while at Syracuse, Shirley
published, fifteen pieces in campus magazines and
became fiction editor of "The Syracusan", a
campus humor magazine.
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In 1940, after their graduation Stanley Edgar
Hyman (fellow classmate) and Jackson were
married. The publication of the short story,
"The Lottery", brought fame, as well as letters
from readers all over the country. But more often
there were abusive letters from people who did
not understand her motives or what she was trying
to do. Even though Jackson was raising four
children while her husband went to work, she
still found time to write. In 1949, the Hymans
moved to Westport, Connecticut. During the 1950s,
while her children were growing up, Jackson
published at least forty-four short stories, six
articles two book-length family chronicles one
childrens nonfiction book and four novels. In
1952, "The Lottery" was adapted for television
and it was performed as a play. Probably one of
Miss Jacksons more pleasant tasks was the
writing of "The Witchcraft of Salem Village. She
had been asked to write the nonfiction book since
her publicity after "The Lottery" indicated that
she had witchlike traits, and she jokingly
proclaimed herself the only practicing witch in
New England. Always a nervous and rather tense
person, she was now under the care of a
psychiatrist. But even during the worst periods,
she never stopped working she used her
typewriter as therapy-to write pages and pages of
anything she pleased to unburden herself of
depression into which she sank. The sad fact was
that, though the mind was well again, the body
was not. On the afternoon of August 8, 1965,
Shirley Jackson went upstairs to take her usual
nap. However, this time, Jackson did not
awake. Information From http//reagan.underthesun
.cc/sjackson/sjackson1.html
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Summary of The Lottery
written in 1948
The people of a small village gather in the town
square for the annual lottery. They merrily
discuss trivial events and the lottery taking
place, while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
To begin the lottery, the men of each family
draws a piece of paper from an old black box.
One paper is marked by a black dot. The
Hutchinson family draws the dot and must return
their papers to the empty box. They draw again
to find one winner. At the climax of the story,
Mrs. Hutchinson draws the paper with the black
dot, complaining how unfair and wrong the lottery
was. Clutching rocks, all the townspeople
(including the Hutchinson family) then close in
on Mrs. Hutchinson and stone her.
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Characters and Descriptions

• Bobby Martin, Harry Jones, and Dickie Delacriox-
  boys in the beginning of the novel piling the
  stones and guarding them
• Mr. Summers- lottery conductor
• Mr. Graves- postmaster assisted Mr. Summers
• Mr. Martin and Baxter Martin- helped Mr. Summers
  hold the box while he stirred the papers inside
• Bill Hutchinson- drew the winning piece of paper
  during the lottery

• Mrs. Hutchinson- wife of Bill who arrived late to
  the lottery because she forgot what day it was.
  She drew the blot dot the second time and was the
  person stoned
• Mr. Adams member of the town who spoke of the
  north village that was talking of giving up the
  lottery
• Old Man Warner- 77 years old man who represents
  that people are stuck in their ways and are not
  willing to change

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Critical Commentary
Themes
Purpose
To show human actions and the nature of our
actions in a sort of mocking manner. The
selection stresses the importance of questioning
what is put in front of you as opposed to
conforming mindlessly.
Life isnt always fair. You cant avoid fate and
what might happen to you. People are afraid of
change and stuck in their ways. Change can be for
the best.
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Critical Commentary
Techniques used
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
The stoning is a symbol for similar activities
that go on today, such as ritual killings or
things that are trivial such as popular clothing
brands.
The author uses foreshadowing to hint at the
stoning that is to come. The little boys make
piles of rocks in the beginning of the story,
foreshadowing what is to come.
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Critical Commentary
Unique Characteristics
Objective Point of View
The story is told only by what is seen and heard
in the story. The story is not commented on,
interpreted, or allowed to enter the characters
minds. This adds the element of suspense to the
story, for we do not truly understand what the
lottery is till the very end, and we do not know
how the people feel about it.
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Review Questions

1. What role does Old Man Warner play?
2. How did Old Man Warner react to the fact that in
   the north villages theyre talking of giving up
   the lottery?
3. What is the irony of the story?
4. What different attitudes about the lottery are
   represented by the characters?
5. Where does the lottery take place? Describe the
   setting.
6. Interpret The Lottery symbolically or
   allegorically.

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A.P. Question
Compare and Contrast the mood of the short story
The Lottery from the beginning of the story to
the end. Be sure to include the techniques the
author uses to show us the mood. (use p.421 1st 2
paragraphs and p.427 from Mr. Graves opened to
stir in the crowd. for the comparison.