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Essay on Comparison of Jackson's Short Story The Lottery to the Film

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Almost every person in the world holds a set of traditions which have been established and practiced for a long period of time. However, some traditions often cause us to not see the rationality despite of the destructive nature it may have. In Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery”, a sacrifice of one’s life becomes the “jackpot” of an annual event held in a small town. This society’s traditions have caused the people to do away with their rational thoughts and the values of their lives as they have become so stuck in their own cultural beliefs.
In the short story, “The Lottery”, Jackson’s use of symbols reveals a twisting plot that isn’t recognizable until nearly at the end of the story. Her use of third person point of view is …show more content…

Here in this village, the lottery only takes about two hours with the 300 residents that currently live there. In some towns, the lottery takes nearly two days and must be started on the 26th. Jackson writes “it could begin at ten o’clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner” (156). This states that they want to get this completed so they can return home with their families and have a family lunch. Relaying no emotion to the fact that death is the outcome of this whole ordeal.
In the film “The Lottery” the setting is more modern and appears to be in the 1960’s even. You are able to identify this due to the articles of clothing they possess, the way the towns’ people do their hair and make-up in some sort. Another clue is the shops out front of the town square, compared to the short story; it was led to believe as if none of that had come into place at the time. Also the area seems to be more industrialized than a rural town would be i.e. automobiles. It is never clear as to what day it may be until the characters give dialogue of the other towns having to start the lottery a day ahead June 27th. The town’s people seem to have much more concern and empathy in the film rather than the short story because of the emphasis they put on the characters faces and their dialogue. Mrs. Hutchinson when called out as the “winner” of

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