Week 6: Week 6: The LotteryThe Lottery

Dr. Peih-ying LuDr. Peih-ying Lu

Pre-reading Questions

1. When and where did the lottery take

place? 2. Is the result of the lottery as what

you expect? If not, what are you expecting from the lottery?

3. Why did the villagers participate in the lottery?

Pre-reading Questions

4. What do you think the ritual for?

5. What’s the theme of the story?

Tradition

• What is the tradition in this short story?

“Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.”. G8

• Why do they continue this tradition?

“We’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery.” G10

Tradition

• Do people normally question the traditions they follow?

• Do people normally understand the origins and significance of the traditions?

• At the different times in history, had people ever passively accepted traditions without questioning?

• Give such examples in our culture.

Scapegoat

• Original meaning: One member of a community was sacrificed in an effort to cleanse the community and ensure a good harvest.

• Give an example of scapegoat in our modern society.

In-class Discussion

1.Describe the setting of the story and explain why it does or doesn’t seem appropriate to the action.

2. Identify those parts of the ritual that have been lost, those that have been altered, and those that remain the same.

In-class Discussion

4 . If you were the one who drew the paper with a black spot on it, what would you do?

5. Express and explain your opinions about the lottery.

Social Conformity

In-class Discussion

Try to relate the following

criticism to the short story

CapitalismFeminism

McCarthyism

Plot

• Towns peple gather, draw lots, and select winner

Setting

• The pleasant setting is reinforced by the seeming innocence of characters.

Children are racing about …

Adults are greeting each other…

It does not prepare the cruel ending

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN5V8cQ2DAk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMOMcO0vlfo