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‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson
The story ‘The Lottery’ was written by Shirley Jackson and was first published on June 26, 1948. Following its publication, the book first appeared in The New Yorker. She wrote the story while living in North Bennington, Vermont. The story describes the annual cultural ritual held in a community that involved all community members in taking part in what was known as ‘The Lottery.’ For generations, the community members held the ritual involving the stoning of whoever won the lottery, either an old female or a child. As usual, people had gathered ready for their leader to begin the ceremony whose preparations had begun the night before. Although having attended each year’s rite, and now it was his seventy-seventh time, one old man did not want them to do away with the tradition as he says, “nothing but trouble in that.” He was calling everyone to stone the woman who just won the lottery. Also, the lottery winner now finds it unfair when it is her turn to be sacrificed, yet had never complained when other community members were stoned. The story is a representation of the American life that Shirley finds uncivilized.
When Jackson wrote the story, she lived in a small town, an outsider, facing the society’s treatment of outsiders. The story is, however, not focused on that town and community. Rather it is a fiction that is an insight into human nature and their relationships with one another concerning culture and traditions, which are inseparable. It reflects on Jackson’s life events as an outsider in her town. She suffered a troubled life regarding identity crisis and depression. She had to combat anxiety and depression when she was forced to leave college. Her work describes the superstitions and barbarism in many societies. The preparations for the story seemed to have been aimed at stoning a woman or kid. Although many villages have abolished the practice, the particular village elders are reluctant as the aged man says it maintains their livelihood. He says, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.”
Jackson wrote the story in the era of social unrest and war when the world was faced with the atomic bomb’s war and terror. During that time, the world was still not very developed, and communism was on the rise. Besides, feminist issues addressed in her story reflect the patriarchal society that insubordinate women in society and how they were not valued. This is evident when the lottery winner is crying out for mercy but evokes no sympathy from the people that have always known her.
Years after the publication of Jackson’s story, ‘The Lottery’ still resonates with many readers because of its theme. The story highlights the hypocrisy and barbaric and uncivilized traditions that tire people down to the point of being so merciless towards other people. Its setting is just a town like anyone’s place of residence, reflecting on the vices that people still uphold, including being excluded from the group you felt was your family or friends.
‘Indian Education’ by Sherman Alexie
The story ‘Indian Education’ was written by Sherman Alexie in the setting of a reservation where his teenage life experiences were based. The title, ‘Indian Education,’ is significant in the hypocrisy of education on reservations in the US. The story describes Alexie as a Native who has to attend school on the reservation but later decides to join a white school. His life in the white school is a complete contrast to life in the reservation, which is a challenge faced by the Native children.
Alexie wrote the story in thirteen different scenes, each scene representing each school grade and the last scene, which is a postscript reunion. He decided to set the scenes in separate sections, labeling each with a heading to show his growth process. The scenes represent his progression in life, and the persona growth Alexie experienced following each event. It somewhat acts like the journal of his experiences and changes he made in his life determined by each event. Also, he ends each section with a brief paragraph consisting of one sentence. These concluding sentences make the reader think about what the specific section of his life means to him. Besides, the conclusions are a transition to another section that implies Alexie’s transition in life. He ends his story with a postscript, which reflects his decision to leave behind the people who would have been part of his entire life and how they still are together, but he is not part of them.
Alexie describes his school experiences as a young teenager in a school where Native Americans were despised and discriminated based on their skin color. He describes how growing up exposed to stressful situations changed his perceptions about life. His reservations are based on his teenage experiences in school and how they affected his entire life. He, however, did not let his humble background determine his fate nor ruin his career. Native children who attend school on the reservation are disliked; thus, their education is hampered. Besides, their white Christian teachers always see to destroy their Native heritage as Alexie states it, “kill the Indian, save the child.” One of his teachers acted as a colonizer with her religion and culture when she sent him home with a note for his parents that he ought to cut his long braids or stop attending school. She also tells him, “Learn respect” when he passes the spelling text.
When he joins the White School, he understands how the historical basis of Indian education does not favor the Indians. He succeeds in his school, which would not have been the case had he been in the reservation as all people do is live tragic life due to their drinking, sniffing glue, or even killing themselves. The life in the reservation has been the cause of the unbearably miserable lives of many Indians, and their poverty is a result of their poor education system. Historically, Indian education has been associated with discrimination and the living situations they face on the reservation, including starvation. Despite these, Indians who can overcome these challenges eventually succeed.
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