Skip to main content

In the third paragraph of Shirley Jackson's story "The Lottery," what suggests that the lottery is a serious event?

Because the mood of the narrative changes in the third paragraph, the reader is alerted to the seriousness of the townspeople's gathering for the lottery.


In the first paragraph, there is a peaceful mood created by the description of a seemingly perfect summer day:


The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.


In the second paragraph,...

Because the mood of the narrative changes in the third paragraph, the reader is alerted to the seriousness of the townspeople's gathering for the lottery.


In the first paragraph, there is a peaceful mood created by the description of a seemingly perfect summer day:



The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.



In the second paragraph, the mood also seems relaxed as the behavior of the children and their talk of school that has just let out for the summer seems natural. The girls who are a little older converse as they glance over their shoulders at the boys in a casual manner. The small children roll delightedly in the dust or hold onto the hands of siblings. 


In the third paragraph, as the men start to gather, they make a quick count of their children, but they soon settle into speaking of the usual topics of farmers: planting, tractors, and taxes. However, there seems to be some nervousness in the men as they almost huddle together away from a sinister pile of stones in a corner near them. Also, that the occasion of the lottery is an affair of grave consequence is indicated as "their jokes were quiet, and they smiled rather than laughed." Finally, when the wives appear, they gather the children to them in what seems a protective manner. This action, too, suggests the gravity of the occasion. Certainly, the tone of this third paragraph is more somber than that of the first two, suggesting that the occasion of the townspeople's gathering for the lottery is a serious event.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...
Post a Comment
Read more