| Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery” is a good story for exploring the concepts behind Psychoanalytic criticism. You’ll want to think about what motivates the characters to act in the way they do. What stops them from continuing this horrendous tradition? Why don’t they stop it? You should also explore the motivations for the men in charge. What makes Mr. Summers, for example, continue to manipulate and control the village? I also want you to take a look at Shirley Jackson’s language choices in “The Lottery.” Bring in a minimum of two specific examples of language choices Jackson has made that stand out to you as a reader. Make sure to directly quote the story instead of summarizing it. Also, make sure to provide reasoned analysis instead of summarizing parts of the story. Instructions Read “The Lottery” starting on page 336 in your Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing textbook (which you should have already done for the quiz and discussion). I do want you to read the brief bio and cultural context on page 336. This will help you with your Psychoanalytic Criticism. Write a 500-word analysis of the short story (1 point will be taken for every 15 words this analysis is short) Psychoanalytic Criticism: Make sure to read the cultural context section on page 336. Jackson has written this story as a protest against totalitarianism. How do the characters in charge create and perpetuate a totalitarian society? What do the men in charge do that keeps the people in line and continuing the tradition of the lottery? How do they keep people from rebelling against this tradition? How do they control the minds and actions of the population? Language Use: bring in a minimum of two examples of language use strategies Jackson uses in her story. Make sure to include the page number of each example as well as analysis that shows the effectiveness of each example. |
