Skip to main content

How do the villagers behave as they gather in the square? What kind of lottery does their manner lead readers to expect?

The villagers behave normally, and the mood among them is friendly as they gather in the square. The children assemble first and begin playing as is expected of children. They engage in talk about school and their teachers. The boys collect stones while the girls talk amongst themselves. The men arrive at the square after their children and engage in talk about farming, farming equipment, and taxes. They also share subtle jokes while waiting for...

The villagers behave normally, and the mood among them is friendly as they gather in the square. The children assemble first and begin playing as is expected of children. They engage in talk about school and their teachers. The boys collect stones while the girls talk amongst themselves. The men arrive at the square after their children and engage in talk about farming, farming equipment, and taxes. They also share subtle jokes while waiting for the lottery to begin. The women arrive last, and when they meet, they engage in gossip.


From how the villagers assemble, one would expect it is a normal lottery with prizes for the winning individual. However, as the story progresses, it emerges that the lottery is actually a bizarre ritual of human sacrifice. After the lottery, the singled out individual is stoned to death by the villagers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, how is Macbeth's ambition his hamartia?

As a reminder, hamartia refers to a character's tragic flaw. Macbeth's ambition is his hamartia because it is responsible for his downfall and death in the final scene of the play.  Consider, for instance, that Macbeth's ambition drives him to embark on his bloody quest for the throne, an enterprise that begins with killing King Duncan and progresses with further, ruthless murders. Macbeth's ambitious, bloody thirst for power turns him into a tyrant and forces... As a reminder, hamartia refers to a character's tragic flaw. Macbeth's ambition is his hamartia because it is responsible for his downfall and death in the final scene of the play.  Consider, for instance, that Macbeth's ambition drives him to embark on his bloody quest for the throne, an enterprise that begins with killing King Duncan and progresses with further, ruthless murders. Macbeth's ambitious, bloody thirst for power turns him into a tyrant and forces his former allies to turn against h...
Post a Comment
Read more