Thread: Resources for "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

We had such fun with this in my class. I ran off copies (it's not in our textbook) a page at a time, so they couldn't see the ending. We read a little, then they journaled their predictions for the next part, then the next day we read some of their journaling aloud and read a little more. They were so shocked by the ending! Then we went back and tried to pick out examples of foreshadowing when we were done, and made a plot diagram. Here's a link with some basic "are you paying attention" questions I had kids answer while we read it, too.
[url]http://www.morrill.org/books/lottery.shtml[/url]
hope it helps![/url]

Is that the story with the community stones a person? I forget..what was the MORAL of that story?

i really focus on irony when i teach the lottery. my students have already finished learning about patriarchal and matriarchal cultures in a unit on mythology before i teach this unit so i break them into small groups (or family units--but i do not tell them that). i assign the oldest male of each group as the group leader. sometimes the student pick up on this--sometimes they do not. i tell the students that since we are going to read a ss called the lottery for fun i thought we would hold our own class lottery. each group leader picks out of a box, whichever leader picks the winning ticket then earns the right for all of his team members to repick for the lottery ticket. this time a winner is declared. i tell the winner that they will learn of the prize they will win at the end of the story. students then free write on what they thing the prize is....there is generally a lot of grumbling that so and so got to win the prize but they are sure glad they didn't win it at the end!

Originally Posted by Chelsee

Is that the story with the community stones a person? I forget..what was the MORAL of that story?

Does there have to be a moral?
That question asked, I would say a major theme of "The Lottery" is the danger of group/mob mentality. You are more likely to do something wrong/dangerous/stupid if everyone else is doing it.

I thought the theme was "Just because it is a tadition does not make it right"

Great story though. See if you can find the film. It totally drives the story home.

Originally Posted by Mark

I thought the theme was "Just because it is a tadition does not make it right"

Great story though. See if you can find the film. It totally drives the story home.

Yes, I would agree that is also a theme presented.

I always saw a lot of themes in the story. I often thought it was a parable for "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". I don't know if there is a story that more powerfully sticks with more people.

The other message I always took away from it was along the lines of being careful what you wish for, and that perception can be dangerous and highly *fickle*

I don't think of it as a story of "Mob Mentality" as much as a "Well I don't know, we just always do-- it's tradition".

What would you think would be the prime age for teaching it, and the youngest group you would present it to?

Good discussion!


Lisa

Originally Posted by BeSeeLisa

I don't think of it as a story of "Mob Mentality" as much as a "Well I don't know, we just always do-- it's tradition".



Lisa

I think that those things go hand in hand - not thinking about the implications of your actions.

I think 9-12 is a good age bracket for this story. Higher level freshmen and sophomores might do well with it, and I think juniors and seniors would be able to do some thought-provoking activities with it.

I always try to use media in my classroom to hook the students. The other night I was sick with the flu and I happened to watch this WB show Supernatural. The particular episode was very similar to The Lottery. Basically, a town was blessed with plentiful crops because they sacrificed a couple each year in the orchard. One of the town leaders was forced to sacrifice his own niece. Obviously this show played up the supernatural elements--showing that there really was a god and such. But this could be interesting to pair with the story. You could ask students what they would be willing to risk for the good of the community. Is it always best to put the needs of the many over the individual? They could also compare both versions. Which version is more sympathetic to the townspeople? Why?

There is also a really horrible Lifetime version of the story starring Dan Cortes and that girl from Felicity as well...If my memory serves me right Dan returns to the town late in life. I believe he is the child that threw the stone at his mother.

When I used to teach this story it was generally in a unit on social justice, so you can also do a lot with the Holocaust and persecution with this piece. I always paid particular attention to the fact that the woman (I can't believe her name escapes me now) was a staunch supporter of the sacrifice until it impacted her. This leads to a great discussion on what it means to be a passive bystander versus being advocate for what you believe is right and also the being the perpetrator versus being the perpetrated.