Shirley Jackson, "The Lottery" – Discussion and Analysis Questions
Answer the following questions on the paper.
1. Why has Jackson chosen common people for her characters? Could she have chosen characters from other
levels of sophistication with the same effect? What is the irony of the
tone of this story?
2. What seems to have been the original purpose of the lottery? What do people believe about it?
3. Is it important that the original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost? What do you suppose the original
ceremony was like? Why have some of the villages given up this practice? Why hasn't this one?
4. What is the significance of Tessie's final scream, "It isn't fair, it isn't right"? What aspect of the lottery does
she explicitly challenge; what aspect goes unquestioned?
5. This is a different sort of story when you read it for the second time. What elements (such as Mrs.
Hutchinson's attempt to have her daughter, Eva, draw with the family) might take on a different meaning the
second time through?
6. Is the lottery a collective act of murder? Is it morally justified? Is tradition sufficient justification for such
actions? How would you respond to cultures that are different from ours that perform "strange" rituals?
7. Describe the point of view of the story. How does the point of view affect what we know about the situation?
How does it preserve the story's suspense?
8. Name a dynamic character. Tell why that character is dynamic.
9. Cite textual evidence of an example of an indirect characterization of Mrs. Hutchinson.
10. Do you think Mrs. Dunbar really couldn't keep up? Cite evidence.
11. What kind of conflict is present in this story?
12.What is ironic (situational) about the boys' stones from the beginning?
Answers to Discussion Questions
1. Why has Jackson chosen common people for her characters? Could she have chosen characters from other
levels of sophistication with the same effect? What is the irony of the
tone of this story?
By choosing common people, Jackson is attempting to have the general reader relate to the grotesque
situation at hand. The dangers of blind allegiance to tradition become more “close to home” when an
average, small-town American population is the center of the action. It becomes more general and allapplicable. (Lines 1-17)
2. What seems to have been the original purpose of the lottery? What do people believe about it?
The original purpose of the lottery seems to have been some twisted sort of rain dance ritual. As Old
Man Warner explains, the old saying used to exclaim, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon” (line 122).
It takes on an air of Aztec/ritualistic sacrifice, that by performing the blood ritual and sacrificing one, the
needs of the majority will be met. If the ritual is not followed, society will collapse – or so the
townsfolk believe.
3. Is it important that the original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost? What do you suppose the original
ceremony was like? Why have some of the villages given up this practice? Why hasn't this one?
The loss of the original ceremonial paraphernalia is significant, as it suggests that the original meaning
and reasons for the lottery have been lost to time. It is a ritual with no true purpose, other than that of
blind allegiance to tradition. Some villages presumably have matured beyond this ritual, but this one has
not.
4. What is the significance of Tessie's final scream, "It isn't fair, it isn't right"? What aspect of the lottery does
she explicitly challenge; what aspect goes unquestioned?
There are two ways to approach this question.
1) From an in-character perspective, Tessie is objecting to the fact that she is the subject of the sacrifice,
having been the “winner” of the lottery. She doesn’t want to die, and is protesting merely the fact that
she has to die, not that people die in general.
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.
5. This is a different sort of story when you read it for the second time. What elements (such as Mrs.
Hutchinson's attempt to have her daughter, Eva, draw with the family) might take on a different meaning the
second time through?
Tessie’s attempt to have her daughter draw with the family is a half-baked (and somewhat heartless)
attempt to have a larger pool of “winners” (victims) to draw from. While reading, it sort of sounds like
she wants an extra chance to win some money or something of that nature. In reality, she is trying to
provide more of a buffer between herself and being murdered.
6. Is the lottery a collective act of murder? Is it morally justified? Is tradition sufficient justification for such
actions? How would you respond to cultures that are different from ours that perform "strange" rituals?
Effectively, the lottery is by definition a collective act of murder, regardless of the reason it is held. Its
existence does, however, beg the question of whether tradition (and, by extension, moral relativism)
supersedes any sort of universal morality. Is killing wrong no matter what, or does its intended purpose
– prosperity for the many at the expense of the few – justified? Regardless of the answer, Jackson’s
message is that doing anything simply because it’s “what always has been done” is not an acceptable
approach to life. We should question and analyze our traditions, and understand why we continue to
observe them.
7. What is the point of view of the story. How does the point of view affect what we know about the situation?
How does it preserve the story's suspense? It's written in 3rd person. We are not given the thoughts of any
character. This affects what we know about the story because we watch the story unfold, but since we are not in
anyone's head, we have no idea what is about to happen. This creates suspense because we don't know what is
about to happen. Not allowing us to know what is going on builds until the very end.
8. Ms. Hutchinson is a dynamic character because she changes. At the beginning of the story, she is all for the
lottery and for participating. However, when her family is selected she begins to view the lottery selection as
unfair.
9. REMEMBER STEAL! Any example of what Ms. Hutchinson Says Thinks Effect on others Actions or
Looks. Kids should give cited textual evidence not just vague responses about the story.
10. Mrs. Dunbar doesn't seem like she believes in the lottery. She only selects because she must and her
husband isn't present. She chooses only two little small stones instead of the like Mrs. Delacroix who selects a
giant one. Perhaps she slows down because she doesn't want to have to participate.
11. man vs. society—The entire society is backwards. It seems that this used to be a pagan ritual for some sort
of rain dance. Old Man Warner says, " Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.'" However, the real
reasons for why they even do the lottery is lost. They simply do it because they have always done it. Ms.
Hutchinson doesn’t even cry out against the lottery itself. She still doesn't see the problem with the lottery. She
simply claims that their selection in the lottery was unfair.
12. We didn't know what the boys' stones were for, but we assumed they were for children playing. We had no
idea that they would be used to stone someone to death with rocks, so it was UNEXPECTED.