RESTRICTED SECTION: SHORT STORY DISCUSSION

[angeleyesjg24.livejournal.com]

JOIN THE CLUB!!
(hey mods, would you mind putting a link up to the application on the userinfo page?)

"THE LOTTERY" SHORT STORY DISCUSSION
(the book discussion is above this discussion)


It's time for the two readings discussions!


Rules, Regulations, and Points:

This discussion will run much like the debates held in the main community. To earn points, be sure to heed the following:
-The comment is at least five sentences long.
-The comment stays on topic. No personal attacks or arguments will be tolerated.
-The comment is signed. If you accidentally forget to sign it, please delete the comment and repost it with your name and house in it. No name/house= no points.
-Remember to comment with your subject in the subject line. Like "Christine/Phantom," for example. That way, people can more readly track discussions.

Points will be awarded as follows:
-10 points for your first comment (this will only be awarded once. Not twice, once for each discussion)
-50 points to the top commenter, one in the novel and and one in the short story discussion.
-40 points for second, one for novel and one for short story discussion
-30 points for third, one for novel and one for short story discussion.



Discussions will end Friday, March 24th. This will give you all two full weeks for discussion. Don't hesitate to ask me any questions!

Anna M // Restricted Section Mod

Comments

[fyrefaerie.livejournal.com]

Ok, I agree with most of what others have stated about dehumanizaton and the fear of change. However, in order to move the discssion onto another subject, I wanted to bring up the idea that the lottery actually improves the lives of the people who live in the town.

The fear that one might die allows the person to live life to the fullest and truly enjoy life. This is espicially noted in the teenagers participating for the first time. Teenagers too often tend to think themselves invincible. This leads to teenager's not appreciating life and taking dangerous risks. Growing up in this society, one would never forget their own mortality. This fact would put life into a new persepective and make every second count.

Of course, it seems terrible that someone should have to die every year to allow for the town's overall well-being. However, if the stoning is looked at as the sacrifice of one to provide for the hapiness of all, it does not seem as horrible. According to Christians the sacrifice of one man provided for the eternal happiness of everyone else. With that idea in mind "The Lottery" reads in an entirely different light, doesn't it?

I hope I've provided something new to think about/discuss.

Melissa/Slytherin

[indilwen.livejournal.com]

I was thinking the same thing while reading, but I've got some additional comments:

Jesus ultimately sacrificed himself. Yes, the people were the ones who sentenced him to death, and Pontius Pilate was the one who decided to just let them do whatever they wanted, but Jesus had made the decision to sacrifice himself to save the world from sin. The people in the lottery enter their names because there's an unspoken rule that they have to. It's just something you do.

Also, in Christianity, Jesus was the first and last sacrifice to save the souls of others. The same group of people didn't get together the year after that and decide that a few Apostles had to go, too. In the lottery, the sacrifice of one person doesn't provide eternal happiness or salvation: it supposedly provides good luck for a year, then you have to repeat the ritual again the next year.

Sangrita, Slytherin

[angelofstrange.livejournal.com]

When we did the heirarcy for how the people were picked, I believe they had to be 18 before they could be considered the head of their household to be the one doing the picking. And if you think about this, it happens even in our everyday lives. The 18 year old who voulenteer for the military to show their pride.

The stoning IS a sacrefice so that their crops will grow. "Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon,'". So it WAS one for the many. For one person to be stoned it would provide for the rest of the village.

Jen//Hufflepuff

[indilwen.livejournal.com]

It *is* one for the many...per year.
Unlike Jesus, one person's sacrifice doesn't keep on going so everyone's still good for centuries to come. They have to do it again and again, or supposedly no crops.

Sangrita, Slytherin

[angelofstrange.livejournal.com]

I try to keep religion out of this because I'm a vicious Pagan :roar: and thus I don't know that much about that Christian thing. But I think I get what you're saying is that his one sacrifice was for the whole while this place had to continually make sacifices yearly. But if the Lotteries were started way back in time it wasn't as perposterous to have sacrifices. Even human sacrifices weren't as wrong sounding as they are in more modern day times. They even would sacrifice virgins to the Kracken in Greek mythology. Though humans weren't always first choices for sacrifices.

Jen//Hufflepuff