The description of how the box is kept 'here and there' also adds something to this; I think that serves to tell us that no *one* person upholds this tradition, the black box is being kept by all of us. It is both in Mr. Grave's barn and in the Martin grocery etc. - it 'lives' with us all. I say 'us' because the village can obviously be our society if we don't heed the traditions and customs :)
+Kricket Lionheart Then we wouldn't have had these especially shocking lines: "The children had stones already. And someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles." Davy is the victim's young son. Also, having the old man be the victim would have taken the edge off the horror of it. It would have been the ending we might have preferred--and therefore not as good an ending. Does that make sense?
Hi Kricket. But how different is Tessie from Old Man Warner? Yes. Old Man Warner seems open about his approval of the lottery. But nothing Tessie said or did indicated she was against it, UNTIL she was chosen. The only difference is really that if Old Man Warner had been picked, he would not have complained.
eternalhalloween1 They are very different. With Tessie killed we get to witness the ruthlessness of humans that family disintegrates so easily. And it's even more ironic that the lottery is so focused on the "family." They focus so much on who draws with whom, "daughters draw with their husbands' families."
Rick Deevey - Me too. But I like her suggestion that it could be a condemnation of Nazi Germany, especially considering that it was written after WWll.
This was a great explication! I somewhat came to the conclusion that "tradition" is not always moral or good, but you pulled the words right out of my mouth. Keep up the great videos!
I saw the 1969 short film of The Lottery back when I was in the 8th grade in the early 70's and it always stuck with me. I can't remember the class I saw the film in, or the reason why it was shown to us, but after your explanation it made it more clear to me, even after all these years. I have a better understanding of what the story was conveying. Plus, I think I have an idea of why it was shown to a bunch of 8th graders. Thank you.
What a wonderful analysis of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. I found it really insightful. Not only have you covered the text and themes of the story really well, bringing its features (many I’d never even thought of before), but also provide ideas of where to go next to take one’s analysis even further. Glad I came across this video and your channel. It really is an education watching and listening to you. Thx for sharing.
The "sacrifice for the crops" element of "The Lottery" has strong parallels to the 1973 British horror classic "The Wicker Man". Please ignore the ghastly 2006 remake with Nicolas Cage.
Thank you Ms. Barcarcel! You have been of great help with your analysis on these short stories. You have really been helping me in my literature class!
You just save my life. I'm at college, 2nd year, my professor give me a homework about this and you just help me a lot to understand the real meaning of the story. Greetings from Puerto Rico.
I probably commented on this before, but it's okay to give kudos to you again! Thank you for posting this. It's helped my remedial reading students to better understand that stories have more than one theme. :) You rock, Six Minute Scholar!
Wonderful, thank you! This story has long been part of what consitutes my own personal lexicon of morality. You manage to parse apart a lot of that so nicely; it is very helpful.
I just wanted to let you know that i appreciate you so much, i have seen 2 different explanations from 2 different people and i just had to subscribe to this channel. You've helped me so much and i will definitely let my friends know about it. Thanks again. Keep shining on!!
Thank you so much. It was really helpful. I’m a French girl studying English at university and we are studying this novel in class. I have a test next week, and thanks to you, I hope I will have a great mark! You saved my life!
Thank you for posting this explanation. I remember watching the short film. I forget what grade I was in just remember that it was back in the 80s. I think it was either in Social Studies or English. A lot of good discussions can be held after watching it.
Today, I read the story for the first time. And what a wonderful commentary on the story! Beautifully explained. I especially liked the tidbit about Shirley Jackson's life when she had to endure life in a small town. I think that's useful to understand the background of the story.
I am writing an analysis of Jackson's "The Lottery" through a new historicism lens and your video was a solid start to my research. Especially the leads you gave me about what Americans may have been feeling after WW2. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your analysis on several short stories I've had to read in my Eng Comp II class. I'm having to write a first person account of the tale seen through the eyes of any character in the story. Your insight has been a huge help!
Thank you. That was a wonderful and thoughtful break down of the story. I am one who agrees that we must be courageous to stand up to what is wrong, despite so called "tradition". But alas, perhaps the lottery wouldn't have to be drawn, and I would be the natural selection with my opposing veiw.
What a beautiful and though-provoking analysis! Thank you so much. I was perplexed the half way through the video that you could summarise and analyse the story(which was hard to wrap my mind around initially) in such a short time... I was not expecting to get the gist of the story that fast. I am writing a paper for my literature class and this video of yours helps me a great deal. ❤
Ohh this is very helpful. I'm studying the prose in my university in Thailand. I have to interpret and analyze it. This video helps me to understand better and know its theme " people should not go with tradition without thinking". Thank you =)
Spot on analysis. I always thought this story was an amazing poke at tradition and social construction and the dangers that come along with it and following the crowd.
When I found this story last year it was gold to me. Weird that about 10 years ago, when I was in school and to some extent college, I would most likely not give a crap about it and just skim through it for the sake of passing an exam.
It's scary how me and my mates where like: Imagine if this text is actually where the winner has to die, haha... And then I read it, and yeah, that's what happened. Thanks for summing it up, because the text was a bit filled up with descriptions :)
Hi Rebecca, Just wanted to say that with your videos I'am able to understand more into dept some significance's or symbols in some of the short stories. I appreciate the time you take in explaining the stories. I would really want to hear what you have to say in regards to the story Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Thanks and Keep them coming!
I love your videos so much! They have greatly helped me in my college Composition 2 class. I'm currently doing a character analysis on "The Lottery" and your video help really open my eyes and to think outside the box about particular happenings and feelings of characters throughout the story. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments from others below. They really give you an even deeper perspective. So thank you for all the videos!
oh my god this was the best explanation ever, im not rlly good at understanding the plot of stories and thank you for helping me understand it better 😭
I just had my 12th grade English class read the Lottery & it brought back the feelings I had when I read it back in the 19th century when I was in high school! We discussed how if the story's timeframe was set back during the time of the Aztecs my students wouldn't have been as emotionally effected by it. I asked my students how their reaction would be if we had a lottery in the small town we live in and they had to stone a relative or friend.
You’re my new English teacher now omg this is so good. Now I understand the story now I need to figure out the differences between the story and the short film help me
Just read this last night and wanted to get an idea of the cultural significance this story has and why it's so famous. Wanted to say thanks from 10 years in the future 🙏
I appreciate you explaining it. I remember watching this in school and for some reason I thought it was to control the population in the town because of their resources, thank you for breaking it down.
Rebecca, you made an excellent analysis. I liked the reflection about democracy doesn't being a synonym of well if there are no values. Shirley implemented many symbols in this story.
THANKS a lot ma'am for sharing this great video to us about the story THE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson, this really helps me to understand more the story. *THUMBS UP*
Speaking of small towns, it feels like they appear a lot in her short stories, at least. And there's always this eerie feeling about the folks. The feeling that something cruel is behind their smiles and fake polite chatter.
I like when short stories like these don't have a moral put at the end like a fable. I also remember the story saying that over time the wood chips had been replaced by paper and the box had been changed too. IDK if that's as important but I always felt it was interesting ... I think its about not fallowing tradition blindly and also that humans can be crule (but there are so many other messages you could get from it)
Great video. Thank you. I saw this years ago when I was in school. Elementary school, if memory serves. I didn't fully appreciate it until later in life.
Good analysis. I have a copy of Jackson's stories, along with this one. Last time I saw "Lottery" was in my junior year English class. I don't remember what we decided.
This was very helpful! Thank you I'm writing an essay over The Lottery and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. I would love to hear your analysis over The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas!
Its human nature to " go along" with such acts, it even makes you feel important when your the one helping and organizing such an event but what a lot of people don't have within themselves is empathy. Its easy to stone someone and watch them die, and its even a little fun. But when your on the other side of that fence its a different story.
but their not just "going along" this is part of their lives, its considered normal for them, notice how int he beginning she was laughing with her husband to go on up there? its a form of population control to be able to feed everyone.
Interesting! I saw that film in the early 70s, in junior high. It left me stunned. Quite a surprise ending. But I had a thought back then. Everyone participates in the lottery. Everyone is guilty of murdering another. Every year another is selected who is also guilty. They participated in the murder of their townspeople many years over. They're Not Innocent. But the thing is, none of them are. They're all guilty of murder and they all run the potential of being the one who is sacrificed in any given year. I wondered if maybe that wasn't what drove the lottery. They didn't stop it because they knew they were all guilty. That they had to take their turn, take their chance at paying for the crime every year. I wonder if that's not where the idea of sacrifice comes from to begin with. Jesus was sacrificed on a cross. They said that he was to pay the ultimate price. Because he was innocent. I really wondered if that wasn't what drove the lottery and the fear of missing it, and losing the crops from not paying.
@scottfreedman8801 I was thinking more like..Tess isn't innocent. None of them are. It's just her turn. If you wanted to get philosophical about it, I would say, Sooner or later, your sins will find you.
hi Rebecca, i watched your video to get some ideas about what the short story "The Lottery" depicts or what was it all about...your video is very helpful..
Hi Rebecca, thank you very much for your instructive, clarifying and revealing video, which allow to understand much better this interesting and full of meanings short story called ¨the lottery¨¨
Thank you SO MUCH for doing this summery! I had to do a school project and it made no sense! As a 13 year old, this is a little bit if a harsh story. Again, thank you for the summery!