Discussion 7-Point Of View

After you have read “The Lottery” and watched the slide show on point of view, do the following:

1. Pick one set of prompts below and respond in at least three full paragraphs (six to seven complete sentences per paragraph). Please indicate at the top of your post which set you’ve chosen.

2. Respond to the posts of two other classmates: offer followup, ask a further question, suggest an interpretation. In other words, take the discussion further; do not just say “I agree” (or the equivalent) and move on. Responses should be three to four complete sentences each.

Include specifics from the story. Do not dwell in generalities and abstracts; back up what you say with concrete examples. Do not tell us how you feel about it, and do not summarize it (we’ve already read it). Dig into how the writing does what it does.

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Set 1:

Using the PowerPoint show preceding this discussion to assist you, what point of view is “The Lottery” narrated from? What evidence suggests this? Be as precise as possible.

How does this point of view influence how the story gets told? That is, how does it determine how the information is given to us, how character is developed, and/or how it shapes our reaction to what happens?

Set 2:

What is the significance of the black box?

What is the significance of the ritual of the lottery? That is, why are there so many steps to follow and rules to observe?

Set 3:

How much are you surprised or shocked by the ending?

Is the ending foreshadowed or hinted at anywhere earlier in the story? If so, where and how?

What is a scapegoat? Could it be argued that Tessie Hutchinson is a scapegoat for the village? If so, how? (See this link for the Old Testament story of the scapegoat.)