Setting, Conflict, and Irony in "The Lottery"

Setting, Conflict, and Irony in "The Lottery"

Setting:

• Time period, place, and social environment of a story

• Established through details and description in a story

Irony:

• When what happens is the opposite of what the reader expects

• Expectation vs. Result

• Example of irony: Alanis Morissette Song-Ironic

Multiple Select

Question: So what happens in the story "The Lottery"? (Check all that apply)

• A town's villagers meet to draw slips of paper from a black box.

• The villagers want to change the rules of the lottery. They are not concerned with tradition.

• Tessie Hutchinson pulls the "winning" paper with a black dot on it.

• Because Tessie Hutchinson draws the "winning" paper, her "reward" is that she is stoned by the villagers.

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt from "The Lottery."

Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroix – the villagers pronounced this name "Dellacroy" – eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys.

What important information does this setting in this excerpt reveal?

• The children are playing in an effort to forget the horror that is about to occur.

• The children have been raised to view the lottery as a normal part of village life.

• The children are behaving just as any boys would in a similar situation.

Multiple Choice

Based on the setting of "The Lottery," what conclusions can a reader draw about what the majority of townspeople most likely do for a living?

• Most townspeople commute to office jobs.

• Most townspeople own businesses in town.

• Most townspeople farm and raise crops.

Multiple Choice

What is the main type of conflict in the story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

• character versus character

• character versus society

• character versus nature

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt from "The Lottery."

People began to look around to see the Hutchinsons. Bill Hutchinson was standing quiet, staring down at the paper in his hand. Suddenly, Tessie Hutchinson shouted to Mr. Summers, "You didn't give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn't fair!"

"Be a good sport, Tessie." Mrs. Delacroix called, and Mrs. Graves said, "All of us took the same chance."

"Shut up, Tessie," Bill Hutchinson said.

Which statement best identifies the conflict in this excerpt?

• Tessie Hutchinson is in conflict with society.

• Bill Hutchinson is in conflict with his feelings.

• Mrs. Delacroix is in conflict with Tessie.

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt from "The Lottery."

Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroix – the villagers pronounced this name "Dellacroy" – eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys. The girls stood aside, talking among themselves, looking over their shoulders at the boys, and the very small children rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brothers or sisters.

Whose behavior is ironic in this excerpt?

• the villagers, for their pronunciation of Delacroix

• the girls, for talking among themselves

• the boys, for making and guarding the pile of stones

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence from "The Lottery."

The lottery was conducted – as were the square dances, the teen-age club, the Halloween program – by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.

What is most ironic about this sentence?

• that Mr. Summers has time to devote to community events

• that the village has a teen club

• that the lottery is thought of as a civic activity

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt from "The Lottery."

The people separated good-humoredly to let her through: two or three people said, in voices just loud enough to be heard across the crowd, "Here comes your Missus, Hutchinson," and "Bill, she made it after all." Mrs. Hutchinson reached her husband, and Mr. Summers, who had been waiting, said cheerfully, "Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie." Mrs. Hutchinson said grinning, "Wouldn't have me leave m'dishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe?" and soft laughter ran through the crowd as the people stirred back into position after Mrs. Hutchinson's arrival.

Which line from the excerpt contains irony?

• “Bill, she made it after all.”

• “Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie.”

• “Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe?”