The lottery short story by Shirley Jackson has a total of 8,321 words and is about 5 pages long (depending on font size and page margins). The story is set in a small town on a warm summer day and follows the drawings of a traditional lottery.
Throughout the story, the townspeople become increasingly anxious as the drawings draw closer and the tension intensifies. As the climax approaches, it is revealed who the winner of the lottery is, causing both shock and relief within the community.
The story ends on a haunting note and, in a few short sentences, Jackson conveys a powerful message about societal traditions and criticism of blindly following them. Although the plot is relatively simple, it is delivered with a masterful touch and is considered an exemplary work of 20th-century horror.
Is The Lottery considered a short story?
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story, first published in The New Yorker magazine in 1948. The story is only 3000 words long, making it a perfect example of the short story genre. The story follows a group of townspeople who gather to conduct a lottery, an annual tradition in their community.
As the lottery progresses, it becomes clear that the winner will be stoned by the townspeople. It’s a haunting story that is as relevant today as it was in 1948. It’s easy to see why The Lottery is a classic short story.
The characters are well-defined, the plot is gripping, and the ending is incredibly powerful. Despite its brevity, The Lottery is rich in symbolism and thematic exploration. It’s a story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.
What is the structure of The Lottery short story?
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story that follows a unique story structure which focuses on suspense and reveals the intense ending at the climax of the story. The story starts on the morning of June 27th in the small village of the day.
In the first part of the story, the reader is introduced to the main characters of the story, the villagers, and the setting of the small town where they live. It also provides a backdrop of a small village with rituals and practices that have been passed down for generations.
The second part of the story focuses on the lottery itself and the activities associated with it. The description of the lottery and its traditions make it clear that this is something the villagers take seriously and respect.
The third part of the story expands the idea of the lottery and begins to hint at the climax of the story which is still to come.
The fourth part introduces tension and suspense to the story as people begin to draw lots and the characters start to experience a sense of dread. Finally, the climax of the story is revealed in the fifth and final part as it is revealed who has won the lottery and what their fate will be.
The ending is shocking and powerful, and it serves to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
How long does The Lottery last Shirley Jackson?
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story that was first published in 1948. The story is only around 4500 words, making it a very short read, and it takes only a few minutes to complete.
The story is about an annual tradition of a lottery that is held every June 27th in a small village. The winner of the lottery is stoned to death by the other members of the village. As with many of Jackson’s works, the story is open to interpretation, with many people reading it to have different opinions on what the story means.
The story ends with the protagonist being chosen as the winner, and is left to a reader’s interpretation to decide what happens next. Overall, The Lottery is a short and powerful piece of literature that takes only a few minutes to complete reading.
What kind of short story is The Lottery?
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story of suspense and horror. Set in a small rural town, the story follows a group of villagers who gather to draw names to determine which of them will be sacrificed in the annual “lottery.
” The narrative begins as an ordinary day with the villagers gathering in the town square, but quickly escalates to a terrifying climax as the protagonist, Tessie Hutchinson, is chosen in the lottery drawing to be stoned to death by her own community.
Ultimately, the story emphasizes Jackson’s themes of conformity, tradition, and the dangers of blindly following authority. Jackson’s innovative use of shocking twists and disturbing imagery make The Lottery one of the most famous and discussed short stories of all time, and have cemented its place among the great works of horror and suspense in the literary canon.
How many sequences are there in The Lottery?
There are six sequences in The Lottery. These sequences introduce the people of a small town as they prepare for their annual lottery ceremony. The first sequence is a brief introduction and establishes the setting of the lottery in a small, rural town.
The second sequence focuses on the townspeople gathering at the center of the town to prepare for the lottery. The third sequence is the lottery ceremony itself, where the townspeople draw slips of paper from a black box to decide who will be the winner of the lottery.
The fourth sequence focuses on the reactions of the townspeople to the outcome of the lottery. The fifth sequence follows the winner of the lottery, and the sixth sequence focuses on the implications of the lottery in the small town.
What book is 300000 words long?
The Stand by Stephen King is one of the longest books ever written and is estimated to be 300,000 words long. Originally published in 1978, The Stand is a horror and fantasy epic set during a worldwide pandemic with a large ensemble of characters.
Spanning multiple decades, the novel follows characters as they work to rebuild civilization. It has been adapted for television, radio and comics. The Stand was a New York Times Bestseller and is considered one of Stephen King’s best works.
Is 15000 words too long for a short story?
No, 15000 words is not too long for a short story. Historically, the shortest stories were around 1,500 words, then the “short stories” range expanded to include those up to 7,500 words. Adding to that, the modern definition of a short story can be as long as 15,000 to 20,000 words.
Stories of that length are considered novellas, which are longer than traditional short stories, but shorter than novels. Even though 15,000 words may seem long, it is still considered a short story.
Who wins The Lottery in the story lottery?
In the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the winner of the lottery is a woman named Tessie Hutchinson. She is the one who receives the black spot on the paper which means she has to go through the ritual of being stoned by all the townspeople.
This is a tradition that the town takes part in every year, though no one really remembers why they started the ritual to begin with. Tessie is not happy about the lottery and claims it isn’t fair, but is forced to go through with it and by the end of the story she has been killed when the townspeople stone her.
Why was Tessie stoned in the lottery?
Tessie was stoned in the lottery because it was the town’s tradition. The lottery was an annual event that had been conducted in the small village for centuries, and it was seen as an integral part of the community.
Everyone in the village participated in the lottery, including Tessie, who had no choice in the matter.
Once each year, all the members of the village gather together in the center square, where lots of stones are placed in a wooden box. Mr. Summers, the lottery leader, calls out family names and each family selects a stone out of the wooden box.
The person who holds the stone with the black mark on it is the one who is to be stoned. That year, Tessie’s family happened to choose the unlucky stone, and Tessie was the one who drew it.
In this way, Tessie was chosen to be stoned in the lottery. While the intentions of the practice were never entirely clear, it was seen as a necessary tradition that kept the villagers in line. It was believed that the lottery would bring good fortune and better days for the village.
In spite of the tragedy this caused for Tessie, the villagers carried out the lottery as an important part of their lives.
What was the twist at the end of the lottery?
The twist at the end of the lottery was that the lottery winner, Mr. Potter, had actually been dead for two months, and his ticket was bought by his wife, Mrs. Potter, who claimed the winning ticket.
Mrs. Potter had kept the ticket hidden away, knowing that she would be the only one that could claim the prize, since her husband was already deceased. The fact that Mr. Potter had purchased the ticket unknowingly, was the twist that was revealed at the end of the lottery.
In the end, Mrs. Potter was the one that received the winning sum of money.