the lottery by nick wehunt
nick wehunt
"lottery in June, corn be heavy soon" oh the rituals of summer. hitting balls or skipping stones, night swimming or camping out. the acts themselves, over time, become more and more associated with time of year ---the reckless and abandoned -- rather than an actual event. If you do something consistently and you do it as a matter of course, rather than necessity, eventually you'll come to believe that it's "the right thing to do." this, despite the fact that it's right or wrong, just something your doing, regularly and with repetition.
Old man Warner has know the lottery for 77 years, it's an accepted part of his existence and he believes that it is necessary for success in life. he realizes that younger folks are merely a "pack of fools." "Listening to young folks" the old man says, "nothing is good enough for them." In 77 years Warner has come to realize, that without the lottery, folks would end up eating "stewed chick weed and accrns."
Three-legged stools are not a common sight, because they are by design unstable. Yet, because a three-legged stool has always held the lottery box, Old man Warner wants to see it that way, no new box. Even this box was mad from the "splinters" of the old box. Even though much of the ritual is "forgotten or discarded" everyone remembers to gather a few of " the smoothest and roundest stones."
Old man Carson clearly represents questionable gaps which are a problem in most societies. Children in the story happily participate in the summer ritual, even though they don't know why. They always have. That's the way old man Carson wants it, and i think he'll get his wish.
Citizens accept this lottery as a part of life, noting with out much interest that "it seems like we got done with the last one only last week."As the events unfold, it becomes apparent that all of the wonderful things about summer, have been accepted just like the act of the lottery itself. There are "flowers blossoming profusely and the grass richly green." there has always been a lottery."
The ironies associated and mixed together with the normality of real life as it responds to absurd actions done only because they have always been done before. The story constantly alludes to the organization of the lottery, alphabetical, order of the names, tried and true ceremonial behaviors. That's the scary thing about the lottery, is just how "normal" all of these community citizens are. They are also ignorantly superstitious, because that's the way they've grown up. That the way their children grown up --- and they'll like it.
simile- a figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things, using a word such as like, as, or resembles.
metaphor- a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of such specific words of comparison.
personification- a figure of speech in witch an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.
allusion- a reference to someone or something that is not known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or some other branch of culture.
hyperbole- a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggerating or overstatement, for effect.
irony- in general, a discrepancy between appearances and reality.
"lottery in June, corn be heavy soon" oh the rituals of summer. hitting balls or skipping stones, night swimming or camping out. the acts themselves, over time, become more and more associated with time of year ---the reckless and abandoned -- rather than an actual event. If you do something consistently and you do it as a matter of course, rather than necessity, eventually you'll come to believe that it's "the right thing to do." this, despite the fact that it's right or wrong, just something your doing, regularly and with repetition.
Old man Warner has know the lottery for 77 years, it's an accepted part of his existence and he believes that it is necessary for success in life. he realizes that younger folks are merely a "pack of fools." "Listening to young folks" the old man says, "nothing is good enough for them." In 77 years Warner has come to realize, that without the lottery, folks would end up eating "stewed chick weed and accrns."
Three-legged stools are not a common sight, because they are by design unstable. Yet, because a three-legged stool has always held the lottery box, Old man Warner wants to see it that way, no new box. Even this box was mad from the "splinters" of the old box. Even though much of the ritual is "forgotten or discarded" everyone remembers to gather a few of " the smoothest and roundest stones."
Old man Carson clearly represents questionable gaps which are a problem in most societies. Children in the story happily participate in the summer ritual, even though they don't know why. They always have. That's the way old man Carson wants it, and i think he'll get his wish.
Citizens accept this lottery as a part of life, noting with out much interest that "it seems like we got done with the last one only last week."As the events unfold, it becomes apparent that all of the wonderful things about summer, have been accepted just like the act of the lottery itself. There are "flowers blossoming profusely and the grass richly green." there has always been a lottery."
The ironies associated and mixed together with the normality of real life as it responds to absurd actions done only because they have always been done before. The story constantly alludes to the organization of the lottery, alphabetical, order of the names, tried and true ceremonial behaviors. That's the scary thing about the lottery, is just how "normal" all of these community citizens are. They are also ignorantly superstitious, because that's the way they've grown up. That the way their children grown up --- and they'll like it.
simile- a figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things, using a word such as like, as, or resembles.
metaphor- a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of such specific words of comparison.
personification- a figure of speech in witch an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.
allusion- a reference to someone or something that is not known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or some other branch of culture.
hyperbole- a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggerating or overstatement, for effect.
irony- in general, a discrepancy between appearances and reality.
posted by nick at
10:11 AM
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