Comparative literary analysis on the “lottery” and “Goodman Brown.”
The narration in both books uses the third person to describe how different activities took place. However, although the narrative style is similar, the impact that both authors make on their readers is entirely different. In ‘the Lottery’ the author uses the third person to describe to the reader how events that have been accepted in society over time can lead to very dire consequences when people do not spend some time thinking about their actions (Purcell and Wylder pg.24). Using this technique, the author produces a reaction in the reader. However, in the ‘Young Goodman,’ the author uses the technique to try and explain the struggle that is going on in the mind of this
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Therefore, we can see that both stories are focusing on morality. However, they both use different techniques to pass this point to the reader. In the book by Hawthorne, he uses the conversation that Goodman and his companion have to show the reader the some of the moral questions that they are supposed to think about. The use of this technique is very relevant to what most of the readers do in their way of thinking. The way human beings think about an issue as wrong in the first place but still feel comfortable to continue with it as long as other people. Especially the godliest, are still doing it. Sometimes it is the doubt in the mind that causes a person to think forth and back about an issue. Therefore, there is a lot of ambiguity in the explanation of the actual standing of the character in the question of morality. At the end of the book, Hawthorne stated that the whole story was a dream of an evil sign to the character (George, Tinnell, and Hawthorne). It would be tough to identify the standing of the character if he were the one who said this statement. However, the issue of morality can only be relied upon as long as it is based on the character and not the author. The author dismisses it as just a bad …show more content…
She uses a lot of suspense to create the questions of morality in the mind of the reader when the people of the town are wondering what sacrifice they should give to save their crops (Wilson pg.77). The reader finds that these are primitive people but is also indifferent at the same time about it. It was the only choice the people had to save their crops. What else would they do? Is it more unfair to lose all their crops and spare the life of a single individual or to lose Tessie and save their crops? However, the author does not let us into the mind of Tessie until the very end when she says that it is unfair for the people to offer her as a sacrifice. Any question of morality that arises begin in the mind of the reader and not that of the
Tessie Hutchinson, or Bill’s wife played a major role in this story. There are many signs of Duality of Human Nature in Tessie. Once Tessie arrived, realizing that she was late, she started to casually talk with Mrs.Delacroix, “Clean forgot what day it was,” she said to Mrs.Delacroix, who stood next to her and they both laughed softly.”. Everyone appeared to be in a good mood, “The people separated good-humoredly to let her through,”. Even her husband was joking around with her, “Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie,” and, “and a soft laughter ran through the crowd as the people stirred back into position after Mrs. Hutchinson's
Everyday you experience being around people and observing each individual. What if you realized or was blind that all people are evil. That your life took a turn and things that use to be normal is not anymore because of your tradition or experience. “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Lottery” both show to have the evil in people in some type of way. They can be compared and contrasted in plot, symbolism, and characterization.
Jackson in her story, “The Lottery”, describes how society and villagers preserve the tradition of lottery without even knowing its origin. Hawthorne, in his story, “Young Goodman Brown” describes the presence of corruption and evil in the society. Both stories have common ideas such as corruption in our society, continuation of barbarous and unethical old traditions, and failure of people in handling those barbarous actions. Both stories have a common theme of evil and darkness but they are presented in different manners. This paper discusses similarities and differences in “The Lottery” and “Young Goodman Brown” by analyzing different literary elements. Jackson, in her story, questions beliefs of individuals, their actions, and blind faith towards old barbaric traditions by using an evil theme and symbolism. Hawthorne adopted a different approach to show presence of evil in our society by showing the inner struggle of the lead character.
At the beginning of the story, we see her desiring going to the lottery. She was laughing, joking, and encouraging her husband to go up and get a drawing when he didn’t move right away. She never would have suspected her family would be chosen, and furthermore, herself. Jackson creates a great contrast between Tessie’s nonchalance and the crowd’s nervousness (Yarmove). When her family is chosen, her character changes around knowing that there’s the possibility of her own death. Tessie’s character change is shocking, but falls into place with the holocaust. She symbolizes the human instinct of survival, and tries to offer up her own children and their families to lower her chances of death. In Yarmove’s analysis of Jackson’s work, he writes “It is the peevish last complaint of a hypocrite who has been hoisted by her own petard” to drive this thought home. The Nazis involved in the roundup of the ‘lesser’ people, alongside with whoever aided, did so because either they were naïve enough to believe they wouldn’t be killed themselves, or because they believed in the cause. Tessie symbolizes those who did so because they thought they wouldn’t be
The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson is a short story about a community that has a yearly lottery pull. The short story is set in a small town that is seemingly normal at first. Every year the town has a lottery pull, in which one person is chosen at random, to be stoned to death by all of their fellow townsmen. The lottery is a tradition that was started many years ago, and is kept alive by the current residents. By using symbolism, irony, and setting Jackson shows the true darkness within the entirety of the human race.
Now I know what you are thinking; why would we forget what happened to Tessie? My friends, why would we remember it? She died in the way a sacrifice would and nothing more. Please, let us remember Tessie as a mother and somewhat wonderful individual, but forget her meaningless death. Every year this occurs, and, well, it just so turns out that this year she was on the chopping block. She needed to pay her dues. Tessie was stoned, menacingly, without a second’s thought. Underneath all of this pain and suffrage, there lingers a sense of understanding, shining a light on the importance of tradition. Tessie seemed to be a great mother, though none of this information shows value now that she has departed. Tessie gave her life so that others could live, one of her most valuable accomplishments. I remember a time when her children knocked a ball through my kitchen window, a somewhat daily occurrence. Mrs. Hutchinson repaid me for my troubles and continued on; she was a kind woman. In addition, the time she gave to the community while running scrumptious bake sales was exceptional. She put the care in daycare. Tessie will be missed, but not needed. Tessie
She stood out from the other villagers. She was a free spirit who was able to forget about the lottery entirely. Tessie is the only villager who protested against the lottery. 10. Yes, The story needed to be read a second time.
The character of Tessie is an interesting one because Jackson uses her to show both person vs. person conflict and person vs. oneself conflict. It’s obvious that Shirley Jackson is an experienced author because otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to do what she did with the character if Tessie. Mrs. Hutchinson was joking and greeting Mr. Summers moments before, but now she was accusing him of cheating the lottery. Jackson brilliantly represents how easily one can turn on someone else when something doesn’t go their way. Developing the story's conflict goes to waste if the ending of the story isn’t well done as
Being mentally older than her mother she did not regard Mrs. Durbeyfield’s matrimonial hopes for her in a serious aspect for a moment. The light-minded woman had been discovering good matches for her daughter almost from the year of her birth” (Hardy 59-60). I chose this passage because it emphasizes how doomed to this faith Tess was. Her mother was no help due to the fact that she never explained to Tess how different the outside world is compared to the simple, innocent life she led in the Durbeyfield home.
Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson arrives late, having “cleanly forgotten what day it was” (411). While the town does not make a fuss over Tessie’s tardiness, several people make remarks, “in voices loud enough to be heard across the crowd” (411). Jackson makes the choice to have Tessie stand out from the crowd initially. This choice first shows Tessie’s motivation. Tessie was so caught up in her everyday household chores that she does not remember that on this one day of the year someone was going to be stoned to death at the lottery.
Tessie is then stoned to death after the villagers knew she had the fatal slip for the ritual, Tessie symbolizes sacrifice, and absurd violence. The symbol of sacrifice and, absurd or unavailing violence came up suddenly at the end of the story was very unexpected for the audience because of the sudden transition from drawing slips at the lottery to violence, which made the presence of resentment and anxiousness, led to the theme of
An exemplary character of the era’s higher class, Alec manipulates Tess, eventually causing her distress and raping her. The original sacrifice of herself to support her family led to her falling victim to Alec d’Urberville and being impregnated. Though already disapproved of by the Church for conceiving this child out of wedlock, Tess is further shunned when she chooses to desert Alec, endure the pregnancy, and
In "The Lottery" Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even if the people have no idea why they follow.
Most if not all of the villagers seem to view the death of Tessie as necessary and traditional. To the people of this community, death has
Furthermore, femininity is shown to be idealised in these novels, through the description of the women as loyal. Tess is loyal to her family when she goes to Casterbridge late at night to deliver beehives, “I think I could go if Abraham could go with me to keep me company.” Tess’s quick response to her mother shows that she knows these beehives need to be delivered in order for the family to earn money, which proves her loyalty. Tess’ father Jack was supposed to do this, but after he gets drunk, his wife deems that “The poor man can’t go.”