English 9 (B)

The Lottery

1. Read the story, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. You can also listen to it (the 1st 3 minutes are introduction).
2. Take the assessment.
   
3. Be prepared to discuss it in your Blog #2.
4. If you want, you may join in on this optional VoiceThread to discuss the story

Background about the Story:

According to Wikipedia, "'The Lottery' is a classic short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948 issue of The New Yorker. The magazine and Jackson herself were surprised by the highly negative reader response. Many readers cancelled their subscriptions, and hate mail continued to arrive throughout the summer. The story was banned in the Union of South Africa. Since then, it has been accepted as a classic American short story, subject to many critical interpretations and media adaptations, and it has been taught in schools for decades."

According to another website: "The strength of this story lies in Jackson's ability to expose the unquestioned existence of evil in everyday life. When Jackson was asked about the meaning of this story, which was published in the 1940s, she replied, 'Why, it's about the Jews [the Holocaust], of course.' In reality, the story goes much deeper than that to the root of human nature itself."

Read more here if interested.



Sources:
http://town.hall.org/radio/HarperAudio/022294_harp_ITH.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery
http://www.colquitt.k12.ga.us/lbennett/resources/The%20Lottery.pdf
http://www.newyorker.com/online/2008/11/17/081117on_audio_homes