Throughout your life starting from when you were a child you have experienced different point of views from watching and listening to people. Whether you realize it or not what you have experience has shaped you into the person you are today. The two short stories “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin and the essay “Hook Ups Starve the Soul” by Laura Vanderkam, are examples of how precedents can influence individuals decisions. These three texts reveal this concept by showing how individuals can be influenced by the actions that people are doing around them, by traditions that were set by past civilians, as well as following any previous examples set by family members. By showing the …show more content…
Le Guin showcase how traditions set by past civilians influence traditions. In the short story by Jackson, she said that “No one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box” (Jackson 1239). This was said after someone had suggested building a new box for use in the lottery. The box had been rebuilt in the past but it was rebuild with some of the parts of the old box showing how much it meant to the people that event stays the same. In the other short story by Le Guin, when explaining the way the citizens of Omelas think about the child she said “They all know it has to be there” (Le Guin 1318). Although they may not be okay with what was happening to the child, they have learned over the years that they should let it happen because it helps the community. In both texts individuals decide not to try and force any change to a tradition. When a old man standing in the crowd at the lottery overheard some people talking about other civilizations not having a lottery he said “There’s always been a lottery” (Jackson 1241). This man had been around for his fair share of lotteries and had gotten so use to them that he could fathom not having one. Similarly, when Le Guin was describing the characteristics of the people in Omelas she said “One thing I know there is none of in Omelas is guilt” (Le Guin 1317). Even though all of the citizens know that …show more content…
In the essay by Vanderkam, she says that hook ups “have all but replaced dating at most colleges” (Vanderkam 345). Some support that she uses when proving this was that she said “only half of the women .. had been on six or more dates...a third had been on no more than two” (Vanderkam 345). This shows that this is not just some fad that some kids at colleges are trying to start but rather it is something that is already implemented and has affected most college students. In the short story, Jackson was explaining how all of the citizens were coming together for the lottery when she said “The other boys soon followed his example” after she had saw one boy who had picked up some stones on the way to the lottery. Later in the day after the selection process of the lottery had been completed a person from the crowd yelled “Come on, come on, everyone” (Jackson 1243). Both of these quotes show how quickly the citizens are to listen to and follow the actions of other people. These qualities have even been taught to the children. These two texts show how people are quick to follow the lead of another and that stems down to the younger generation which means that the trait of following will only continue to grow. Also in the essay, Vanderkam said that hook ups have “pervade[d] college culture” (345). This shows
Some traditions are passed down through generations. In a short story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, a specific tradition is passed down to every generation. This generation was hated by most of the towns people ; those people said the tradition was an unfair and injustice act. Another act if injustice happened in Elie Wiesel’s short story “Hope, Despair, and Memory”. This quite from Elie Wiesel’s story shows how we must look at the unfairness. “Mankind must remember that peace is not God’s gift to his creatures, it is our gift to each other.” The short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson supports Wiesel’s central idea in “Hope, Despair, and Memory” by conveying similar central ideas with their use of pathos, the character’s perspective,
The effect of an individual 's personal experience may be one of the controlling factors of their life. In the short story “The Hand”, Yves Theriault presents the idea of the importance of an individual 's personal experience, and the effects of these experiences on their life. Yves shows how these personal experiences are important to one’s life, because it is in control of how an individual will change, and how it will develop their character and personality. This is shown by the character Géron, where one event in his life changed a personality trait that he had for most of his life. Many of my personal experiences could relate to Géron’s incident, where a small event had a large impact in my life, and how the story of our life is influenced
What would happen if an utopia wasn’t all that perfect on the inside? Judging by just the appearance of something may lead to a situation of regret and confusion.” The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson address the theme of religious and traditional symbolism.” The Lottery” demonstrates how something that seems so perfect on the outside isn’t all that great on the inside.
The story belies the villagers respect for tradition. The lottery official was said to have spoken ?frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box.? (Jackson 367) We know that the black box was not the original vessel for the lottery. Many changes and omissions from lotteries past also, speak of the villagers? apathy for tradition.
Affirmative action is perhaps the political hot potato of the decade. Its divisiveness has escalated racial tensions all across the nation, in forums political and academic. It also creates problems on a daily basis for millions of Americans in the workforce, education, housing, and so forth. Affirmative action, by its very definition, uses discrimination to attempt to create equality. Its ultimate goal is to make everyone equal to everyone else- intellectually, ability-wise, and (dare I say?) socially. What the proponents of this racial and gender communism do not realize is that society can only function in the absence of complete equality. Society is always in need of someone - be it a nationality, religion, or gender - to look down on. This point is most clearly made in the short story Those Who Walk Away From Omelas, a 1973 work by Ursula K. Leguin. The central message of Omelas is that society needs a pariah- someone to look down on in order to maintain its own happiness.
At a time where the future has never looked brighter, it is baffling how some people have become more pessimistic than ever. Why do people who are faced with traumatizing situations always seem to focus on the negatives? Why is it that when people are faced with despair, they always seem to rely on how the situation looks repugnant? Science fiction stories have a tendence to show all these questioning thoughts. There are many key details in the science fiction short story book titled Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth Century that shows pessimism and has a negative tendency of expecting the worst from life and how people treat each other. This is certainly shown in the acts of communication, isolation, and hopelessness.
In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, there are certain traditions that are upheld by the characters in the story. These characters that Jackson created are not even sure why they are following the traditions. This story shows the reader how mankind will react to different situations that they are put into. Even when something is going bad or is wrong, people will not be a leader and stop it. The characters in this story should not have tolerated with the inhumane tradition that was held every year.
In every village it is always difficult to try and change they ways of the people. What one village sees as wrong, another may see as right. Some of the villagers may be stubborn enough to not change traditions that physically affect a person. Mr. Joe Summers is a man who ran the coal business for the village. He was a man who had time for civic activities, but no one really liked him. The reason as to why no one liked him was because “[H]e had no children, and his wife was a scold” (Jackson ). Mr. Summers had the privilege of carrying the revered wooden black box. Along side of Mr. Summers stood another man by the name of Mr. Harry Graves. Mr. Graves was the man who helped, Mr. Summers, make the slips of paper that would be used in the lottery, and he took the three-legged stool to the site of the lottery; which is where the black box was supposed to rest on. “Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done” (Jackson ). The box was never changed because no one wa...
...d the setting. “The Lottery” remains applicable in our culture today. The story in of itself epitomizes tradition, the undisputed traditions that survive not just in the culture of “The Lottery.” “The Lottery” strongly demonstrates the collective mindset of Mr. Hutchinson and the rest of the villagers who contributed in the stoning of his own wife. Oftentimes people lose their distinctiveness, and are often peer-pressured into doing something that they do not want to do. When analyzing the text, Mr. Hutchinson went from clowning with his wife to slaughtering her in a short period of time exemplifies how recklessly individuals can have a change of heart. In the end, the tradition needed to be changed by the victim, Mrs. Hutchinson, but then it was too late and the tradition lives on even though it is not the best of traditions by stoning another individual to death.
In comparing and contrasting the short stories “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker and “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson, tradition is carried on throughout the generations. Symbols are often used in these short stories to convey these messages of tradition and heritage. Rebellious characters are also found in both of the stories, trying to alter traditions to meet their own personal expectations. However, in contrast “The Lottery” is a much more barbaric story that does not reveal the cruelty until the end of the story. The story involves an entire village of families following a tradition. “Everyday Use” is not as tragic, it deals with a conflict within a single family unit.
Tradition is huge in small towns and families and allows for unity through shared values, stories, and goals from one generation to the next. Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” carries that theme of tradition. The story follows a small town that performs the tradition of holding an annual lottery in which the winner gets stoned to death. It (tradition) is valued amongst human societies around the world, but the refusal of the villagers in “The Lottery” to let go of a terrifying long-lasting tradition suggests the negative consequences of blindly following these traditions such as violence and hypocrisy.
From the child in Omelas to a slaving factory worker, those who struggle from oppression have channeled their worth and refuse to remain pushed to the side and neglected.
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.
Paul, E. L., & Hayes, K. A. (2002). The casualties of “casual” sex: A qualitative exploration of the phenomenology of college students’ hookups. Journal of personal and Social Relationships, 19, 639-661.
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is a short story that brings to light the problems a society faces when blindly following traditions. Due to a tradition as old as the town itself, every year someone is forced to draw the “black spot.” This black spot means that person is stoned to death, regardless of family status or even age. Communities have a tendency to stick to traditions, regardless of how logical it may or may not be, how old it is, or even whether or not everyone understands why they continue it; and traditions should always have their importance reevaluated.