2026 Reading Challenge
The Lottery

Questions About The Lottery

by Shirley Jackson

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Answered Questions (5)

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
Eve Way to spoil it! lol.

i think the bigger question is of "collective guilt". (since the short story was from 1948, after The Holocaust & it was examinin…moreWay to spoil it! lol.

i think the bigger question is of "collective guilt". (since the short story was from 1948, after The Holocaust & it was examining social coercions in small towns).

Like when we build ghettos in our country, like in Chicago (i live in a suburb of it btw), is the mayor as guilty for the murders as the people who fire the shots? Is the media, supported by the folks in power, as guilty for capitalizing on it, (since news broadcasts are actually entertainment, hence why we don't hear about activism & how we can treat/remedy the murderous lottery of Chiraq). Are advertisers making blood money from slots on these programs?

Also consider how we (& admittedly other global superpowers, like Russia & China) exploit other parts of the world, like an empire, via (cultural) hegemony & outright war, or supporting groups of war.

Also USA is basically an arms dealer, so we stir up conflicts to sell weapons either to other countries or to our own. that's basically why we won world war 1 & 2 (technically the same war, but with a 20 year ceasefire).

Do (USA) citizens have (millions of) other people's blood on their hands because of the actions/inactions of their government?(less)
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I recently read the Haunting of Hill House and was a little disappointed to be honest. I watched it after watching the netflix series, and I thought it was one of the rare exceptions to the rule where the book is always better. I didn't think the book was terrible just average. Is The Lottery and We Have Always Lived in the Castle of a similar style and quality or are they superior reads?
Elise L I really did enjoy The Lottery. I think it's a great quick read and it really leaves you thinking. …moreI really did enjoy The Lottery. I think it's a great quick read and it really leaves you thinking. (less)
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why did that people do such practice? I mean I could not find out what was the reward for them, the lottery was intended to gather the community but why it had to be such cruel and why the last person was considered as the winner?
Elise L It says something about
"lottery in June, crops ready soon"
or something like that as their saying(?). I interpreted this as meaning that they did the …moreIt says something about
"lottery in June, crops ready soon"
or something like that as their saying(?). I interpreted this as meaning that they did the sacrifice as a tradition to bring good harvest. They also talked about how a few other villages were stopping their lottery, and the old man said that would be a bad idea.(less)
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What was the scariest thing about it? The time period, the setting, or the characters? I would have liked to know more about it.
Eliza For me it was how ominous it was.
The entire time it felt like something was slightly off, and then boom.
…moreFor me it was how ominous it was.
The entire time it felt like something was slightly off, and then boom.
(less)
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is there any songs lyrics that go with this book( maybe about unfairness or something)?
Skylar BB maybe these :)

"My pledge of allegiance (The sealed fate)" by After forever
"World of fantasy" by Helloween
"Killing in the name of" by Rage against the…moremaybe these :)

"My pledge of allegiance (The sealed fate)" by After forever
"World of fantasy" by Helloween
"Killing in the name of" by Rage against the machine(less)
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