Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

[martincommrad]

Recording a class lecture. Shouldn't u dumbasses be tryin' to learn something. Ah, kids today.

[osamabinpawning123]

I think the village stoned people not to decrease the population....it was for harvest

[dannyd0994]

i call bullshit when that guy at 3:30 knew it was a lottery to kill people.

[doowoppingchainsawer]

I want to stone the guy at 2:30 to death.

[dltanner99]

Horror novel  see video book trailer

[BeUniQue1000]

so disturbing in the fact that all of these people that Mrs. Hutchinson grew up with, her family members didn't think twice about murdering her, this is just strange. I wish old man warner got picked, he enjoyed the fact that he was never picked so therefore he enjoyed the killings. This story is the perfect example of man’s inhumane to one another; this story is more like a nightmare.

[BeUniQue1000]

. I can’t help but to think why they do it? Mutilating a human being is a waste, I was starting to think maybe they do this lottery to keep the population down; maybe it’s their own way of keeping tradition alive. This way of thinking is stupid, if they don’t want to reproduce or keep the population the same then they should all turn gay and lesbian, so that way no one will reproduce. The residents of this town are emotionless to the cruelty they cause on each other,

[BeUniQue1000]

When I think of winning the lottery I think of money, happiness, and a sound future but in this story it is the complete opposite. I definitely didn’t expect this to be the lottery of death, for that reason it was surprising. This story was dark and eerie, I felt bad for poor Mrs. Hutchinson she lost her life over a tradition that is not even remembered. The way a group of people will hold onto a tradition, simply because it has always been that way makes no sense.

[Beergut222]

This is pretty cool. Shirley Jackson is probably my favorite writer.

[couchpatatoe234]

what grade are you in?

[Vanessag502]

Great video!!!!! please post more lectures.

[puffyhair1990]

Do you feel that Mr. Summers represents progress in the village?

[LINDSAYLIKEOMG]

This sounds quite similar to the discussion we had about the story in grade 9 (minus the jerk saying it was a waste of his time), about how winning the lottery is normally a good thing, so everyone was caught off guard when they found out it was such a horrible thing, etc. etc.

[LINDSAYLIKEOMG]

We read this short story in grade nine. Our teacher had some of us choose characters to read, and none of us knew what it was about. I chose Tessie (because that's my cat's name haha) and was kind of creeped to find out as we were reading along that my character was the one that was murdered in the end! D: love the story though, this and "Lamb to the Slaughter" are my favourite short stories :)

[alsmed]

does this story question the nature of democracy itself? the majority is right god help us all

[gingermaniagirl]

isnt it a pagan tradition?

[x0x0Cindyx0x0]

i get it now im reading it for chool the black box symbolizes death she come there trying to clean he sin before hand

[ricZ134]

thanx profffesor!!your video really helped me a lot!!!

[ProfessorCrowley]

Great to hear. Good luck!

Adam

[ashleypina1]

There are many ideas within a culture that have been handed down from generation to generation without care or logic. But such traditions are so ingrained within a culture, that nobody ever gives them much thought. And as soon as someone does question these values, people look at them as if they've lost their marbles.

[ashleypina1]

To me, this story examines the absurdity of holding on to traditions that nobody questions, but continue to practice because it's what has been done for hundreds of years. I think this story wants the reader to question the traditions they participate in, to perhaps enlighten them about the flaws that may lie in their own set of beliefs and or traditions.

[FMHSdude09]

@ashleypina1 Well said! :]

[999oj]

I have a question to ask? Is a situation or condition 'right' because it is a tradition? I have an essay on these(lottery) and I don't understand it. Pls hlep.

[ProfessorCrowley]

Well, I think that is a question only you will be able to answer. However, ask yourself if all traditions are good. When you have an answer to that question, you will have answer to your first question.

Best,

Adam

[cheetah672]

I read The Lottery in my high school sophomore year. Sure it was disturbing, but I didn't feel the story was that great. It was just a bunch of meaningless subtle conversations that led up to the unfortunate harvest ritual at the end.

[thefart1o1]

I wish old man warner got picked

[houdashell41379]

I felt so sorry for this professor when the student answers that his thoughts on The Lotter was "it's a waste". That is not a thought that is a waste of syllables. If you go beyond the simplistic facade of the story, you will find a rich and deeply disturbing look at modern society. The way a group of people will hold onto a tradition or the status quo, simply because it has always been that way. The townspeople are numb to the brutality they inflict on their fellow man.

[FMHSdude09]

@houdashell41379 Haha, yeah I felt sorry for the professor too. That's just something you don't really say to any teacher... "Your assignment was a waste of my time."

It is a very eery and ironic story though, and I agree that it gives us insight to our own society. I love it!

[kirk903]

i just read this book and after reading it, it gave all types of emotions. first i thought it was a good book then i hated it because of thier barbaric ritual and plus it kinda scares me a lil.

[slippersANDpinyato]

Agreeing to and actually doing something that is inexplicable to the self is dangerous. It is dangerous for other people to be with someone like that and that person to himself as well. One knows he can get in trouble by ignoring what is set in his heart or the mind to do what he has to.

[tjtigers14]

For me the lottery strikes some sort of primordial chord. Just like your student that said "Once they were gathering rocks, I knew," I was also worried that the rocks would be used to kill someone. But the fact that I was able to predict the ending was strange.

[ProfessorCrowley]

Those are good observations, and both about the situation and the characters.

[ak123456p]

I found this story more so disturbing in the fact that all of these people that she grew up with, her family, her husband, heck her baby boy didn't seemingly think twice about mangling and murdering her. It's just strange. If my future husband/kids chuck stones at me because of a piece of paper well, wow. At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, am I the only one who found Mrs. Hutchinson throughly annoying.

[nyappyapple]

no I found mrs hutchinson to be devastatingly annoying. this is because all is well at the beginning of the story, when she knew perfectly well the outcome of the lottery-after all, it happens every single year. she had no objections to the tradition at all until it was her family that was picked.

the bottom line is this: people don't care about things like that until the situation becomes personal.

she started screaming "it's not fair! it's not right!" when she never once complained beforehand.

[letsgomets07]

wow I felt the same way, I was glad she got picked.

[ProfessorCrowley]

Hi, DeejayyAndo:

That question sounds a lot like an essay prompt. I would encourage you to re-read the story, and this time through pay lots of attention to all the specific details Jackson uses to describe the people and the town. The answer to your question will be found in those details.

[DeejayyAndo]

How does Jackson lull the reader into false sense of security initially, and build suspense in this classic tale of unquestioning adherence to a primitive fertility rite?

[TrejosWenzao]

Hi Professor Crowley:

I'll be playing this video to my students in Taiwan this week. On behalf of my class, I would like to thank you for posting it.

Best wishes,

Mr. Trejos

Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

[ProfessorCrowley]

Dear Mr. Trejos:

Thank you for your thoughtful note. I am glad to hear that you will be showing the video, and I hope that it will be a helpful aid to your students. I would be really interested in knowing what they think about it.

Best,

Assistant Professor Crowley

[hamsterbaby6]

is this a college class, university or high school?

[ProfessorCrowley]

This was a university class held at Husson University during the summer of 2008.

[masterv11]

i read that story, lol it was fucking strange

[pianoskillz]

I have a 3 page essay on this due tomarrow and this helped me out alot! So, thanks.

[ProfessorCrowley]

Your welcome. I hope you do well on the paper.

Assistant Professor Crowley

[chriscressy]

i was in that class. i enjoyed the lecture

[ProfessorCrowley]

Thanks, Chris. It was a fun class to be a part of.