Research Guides: Lottery, The: Critical Articles

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Articles

“Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’” by Amy Griffin
Presents an interpretation of the short story `The Lottery,’ by Shirley Jackson. Life-death cycle archetypes weaved into the story; Representation of lottery; What the story illustrates regarding societal behavior.
“Jackson’s ‘THE LOTTERY.’” by A. R. Coulthard
Interprets the messages conveyed in Shirley Jackson’s short story ‘The Lottery.’ Blind obedience to the tradition as the central theme of the story; Controversy generated by the publication of ‘The Lottery’ in June 1948.
“Censorship and ‘The Lottery’” by Edna Bogert
Examines the role of tradition and censorship in “The Lottery.”
“Jackson’s The Lottery. “ by Nathan Cervo
Parallels with Christianity and the Crucifixion are evident in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery.' Mispronunciation of the name Delacroix, which means 'of the Cross,' symbolizes the villagers' misinterpretation of the Crucifixion and the mass. Christian tradition is mixed with Hebrew and Egyptian religious thought and practice. The village lottery is thus a primitivistic interpretation of the selection of a scapegoat and its stoning to death. Historical and anthropological data cited by James L. Meagher, however, suggests that the victim of the lottery is a parodic symbol of Christ rather than the traditional scapegoat figure.
Shirley Jackson's Use of Symbols in 'The Lottery.' by Danielle Schaub
In the following essay, Schaub relates Jackson's symbolic use of numbers, names, and objects to the role of tradition in her story "The Lottery."

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