Jackson herself read all these letters, and incorporated them into a talk she gave on a number of occasions, "Biography of a story" where she took wry pleasure in the musings and misunderstandings readers communicated to her. In a way, it's rather like what happens instantaneously on Twitter or Facebook today; a writer impugns her readers' values and beliefs, and is suddenly called into the court of public shame. Only Jackson wasn't ashamed, only bemused -- and the story ended up as a breakthrough moment in her career.
Perhaps no less remarkable is that the tale was taken up for a film treatment in 1969 by Encyclopedia Britannica, whose film series was, in nearly all other cases, drily educational. Their director Larry Yust, whose other EB shorts included "Electrons at Work" and "How to Produce Current with Magnets," did not flinch at the story's subject-matter, or soften it in any way. The soft Kodachrome tones of his production make the blood at the end even redder. It's been adapted several times since, but never so effectively.
Once again this week we have four discussion questions -- choose one and post your reply below (you don't need to paste the entire question in, just your response).
Discussion Question #3
ReplyDeleteI think the Lottery could be an inspiration for the hunger games. Where both are used in a way to control population, and express anger to control violence. However in the Hunger Games it is only really the rich that are entertained by the games. In the Lottery it almost seems that everyone who partakes and is not picked has a blast carrying out the stoning. In both stories the random selection of a white paper is involved as well. - Christopher McCarthy
My first impression to this story was cruel. I started to think why there's no one to stand out to stop this ridiculous ritual. People are too afraid to say something. People follow blindly. Especially under the pressure of the power of a mass of crowed. The atmosphere makes people loss of judgement.
ReplyDeleteThis story is extremely cruel and disturbing . It was really sad how people could treat another human like this with such violence with no fear or compassion. When we watched the short film it caught my attention when the characters were pretty much saying that they took the same risk and to get over it if u were gonna be stoned. It was interesting because if that same person was going to be stoned they would be just as fearful . “Try to put yourself in their shoes”
ReplyDeleteI really liked this story. I am also considering writing my final paper on it. I thought the story was interesting and unlike many other stories. Even though the story may be seen as cruel (in which it is), I think it relates to our society today. I agree with one of the comments, saying that this story reminds them of the hunger games. As I was reading the short story, all I could think about were the hunger games.
ReplyDelete3. I'm not sure if this story was indeed influenced the hunger games. I do see some similarities but in the actual plot their are major differences. The overarching theme is pretty consistent between the two narratives.
ReplyDeleteI wrote that
Delete- Tarissa
3. The Lottery could be an inspiration for hunger games. The story says that many towns do this and that some have given it up. The towns could be kind of like the districts. The whole town is picked from no matter the age like in the movie. The town gathers and is picked from a kind of "bowl" in both. Some differences is the towns don't assemble when someone is picked like in the movie where everyone picked is grouped together for the game. Also there is no winner like in the movie someone survives and wins where in the story someone will die from every town. The movie also has a strong political aspect and social class tone where the story doesn't have any of this influence. - Emily Johnson
ReplyDeleteI do not understand the point of the whole lottery thing. There's no incentive, it's inhumane, and the part where it was mentioned that other towns do the same is troubling to me. Who started this, why, and why did everyone just go along with it? It seems to me that those who were not the one being stoned enjoyed participating which is sickening. But why? It makes for a town full of people with no morals or sympathy for other people.
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Question 3- I believe the Hunger Games could be inspired by the Lottery. Where both are used to manage the society/population and to convey rage in order to control violence. However, both works involve the idea of a deadly lottery and the sacrifice of individuals for the supposed greater good, the settings, contexts, and the messages they convey are distinct. The Lottery is a more focused exploration of a specific ritual within a small town, while The Hunger Games is a broader examination of a dystopian society and the impact of oppression on its citizens.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see the connection between the lottery and the hunger games. Both involve a group of people who have to vote to "sacrifice" one person to control the population. The characters in the lottery seem to be used to the inhumane system, and wanted to get it over with quickly. The hunger games goes on for a longer period of time, and they have live off skills to survive.
ReplyDelete3. Yes, there is a connection between "The lottery" and "The hunger games." Both stories are set in dystopian societies where the government exercises control over its citizens through oppressive systems. Both stories also involve punishment that is carried out by the government. As for the difference, I think the Genre differ from each other. " The lottery" is a short story that is focused on psychological impact of the lottery on the characters. " The hunger games" is a novel, it has elements of adventure, action, and romance. -Prescilla Da fonseca
ReplyDeleteI can see the lottery as related to the hunger games but honestly it's more a hands on punishment than game compared to the hunger games. In the lottery they just got straight to it and only picking one not a group compared to hunger games a whole survival map with several people picked. Either way they both involve judgement with their government.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people relate this to the hunger games but I think its deeper and maybe the hunger games does fall In the same box as well. The pressure in life to go along with everything just because we are being told we are supposed to even if we feel it's wrong or have conflicting feelings. This pressure is really an underlying pressure to conform to society around you. There’s many instances of religious pressure in the past and also political pressure like under Hitler’s regime and there’s also social and religious pressure today being inflicted by people who don’t like abortion or target the LGBTQ community. It's people in the government or people who think they are above us targeting those who speak up or oppose. I feel like the movie was an example of someone who ended up speaking up because they didn't agree with a public decision so they came after him/her. Seems like it doesn't matter how much time passes but we still have pressure to confirm to outrageous laws. People get scared to speak up for what they believe in in afraid of being persecuted. What we need to realize is if we all stand together and speak up as a society/group for what is right we are more likely for change. Its' easier for people to target one person but they can't take down a whole group.
ReplyDeletetypo: Believe in and are afraid of being persecuted.
DeleteI accidentally typed "in" twice trying to get my thoughts together haha