Casting Stones

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the short story titled "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The paper discusses the elements of literature including theme, setting, plot and characters. The writer focuses on Jackson's mockery of social expectations in this story, and portrays the theme of the individual's place in society.

From the Paper:

"Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is a haunting depiction of the ignorance of humans. The residents of the village represent all the people of the world. People of all places expect adherence to certain social and familial roles or practices, as assigned by that particular society. Any divergence from these roles or practices might result in banishment; therefore, no one diverges, even when it comes to ritualistic murder. The purpose of "The Lottery," it would seem, is to make a mockery of these social expectations and show the reader how ridiculous it is to conform to all of societies habits, simply because they have always been. Jackson reveals her opinion of the society she lives with. Jackson engages the reader by associating them with the setting and the characters and then pulls no punches in a twisted ending that makes the reader wonder how far individuals would go to maintain good standing with the community."

More papers on Casting Stones:

• Descriptive Essay # 100709 : "Kidney Stones"
• Analytical Essay # 117693 : "The Rolling Stones"
• Term Paper # 148093 : "Romantic, Modern and Postmodern Literature"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: