Conformity in Literature

Paper Summary:

It is the belief of many sociologists that conformity plays a large role in any society. There are a set of rules, beliefs, or morals that every member of society has to adhere to or face the consequences, and rebellion, when defeated, is put down very harshly most of the time. In particular, it examines how Herman Melville and Shirley Jackson confront these themes in their short stories, "Bartleby the Scrivener" and "The Lottery," respectively.

From the Paper:

"In the story, the warm summer day, the children's play, the casual chatter, and the air of suppressed anticipation of the village on the day of the lottery attune the reader's expectations towards a positive outcome for the lottery. When the reader learns of the unjust and senseless murder for the first time, this knowledge comes as an extreme shock. The audience, having an understanding of a lottery, assumes its implications are positive. Jackson decides to title her story "the Lottery;" thus, deliberately plays off her reader's assumptions, hiding her subtle yet powerful themes and symbols from their immediate notice."

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