The Lottery

Assignment:

The primary writing requirement for Term 3 is a literary criticism paper (We were busy with other things in Term 3, so we’re doing this in Term 4).

A literary criticism paper, as we have discussed in class, is a paper that explores at least one aspect of a text critically and borrows ideas from scholars who have analyzed the same topic. Your task is to choose a topic, develop an essential question to guide your paper, and use at least one approved scholarly criticism to support your analysis of “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson. Your final paper will be an MLA formatted literary criticism paper on “The Lottery” (at least 5 paragraphs in length – about 2 pages).

Objectives of the assignment:

• Demonstrate ability to choose and access reliable critical articles from a database
• Integrate and cite textual evidence appropriately to support inferences, assumptions, and interpretations
• Analyze a central idea and its development throughout a text
• Use the writing process to organize and revise a paper with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion
• Demonstrate command of standard written English and MLA rules for formatting and citing sources

Some possible topics:

• Thematic: Identify a theme and trace the development of the theme throughout the story
• Literary Devices (choose one): Symbolism or Irony
• Character Analysis: Choose a character and trace the character’s development/ purpose served in the story

Steps in the Process:

• Step 1: Choose your topic and create an essential question (a prompt); brainstorm your answer to your question. Go to a database and find at least one academic criticism that you can use.
• Step 2: Read and annotate at least one academic criticism about the same topic (Your criticism must be approved). Find two ideas that you could borrow from the scholar. Create an outline that shows how you will organize your ideas, evidence, and critical borrowings.
• Step 3: Compose a first draft (at least 5 paragraphs with a works cited page and bibliography if needed) using MLA format.
• Step 4: Revise the first draft and turn in a final, MLA formatted, 2 page paper with an attached work cited page (with citations for at least one critical source and the short story) and bibliography (if needed).

Grading Criteria:

• Step 1: Topic Brainstorm – includes your topic choice, essential question, hypothesis, and a list of all of your first thoughts/evidence. At least one highlighted criticism must be attached (30 points).
• Step 2: Outline with approved criticism –Outline includes a clear thesis statement and shows how the paper will be organized to prove the thesis. Along with this outline, you must turn at least one highlighted criticism and all other references used (50 points).
• Step 3: First Draft – Looks like a final paper – typed, about 2 pages/ at least 5 paragraphs, attached reference page/s, parenthetical citations, MLA format; completed on time and edited in class (40 points)
• Step 4: Final Draft – Typed, 2 pages, MLA format, few to no errors, revised from first draft, neat; must be accompanied by the annotated criticism and any other notes (100 points)
• Total points available for this assignment = 220

Citation for "The Lottery"

Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery". Great Short Stories of the World. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest, 1974. 274-82. Print.

Resources:

About the Author:

• Shirley Jackson from Major 21st Century Writers
• Shirley Jackson from DISCovering Authors

Overviews, Summaries and Historical Context:

• "The Lottery" from Literature and Its Times
• "The Lottery" from Short Stories for Students [plot, characters, themes, criticism excerpts]
• "The Lottery" Overview by Jennifer Hicks from EXPLORING Short Stories [overview of story, publication history and brief intro to criticisms]
• Plot Summary: "The Lottery" from DISCovering Authors
• Historical Context: "The Lottery" from EXPLORING Short Stories
• Themes and Construction: "The Lottery" from EXPLORING Short Stories
• On the Morning of June 28, 1948 and "The Lottery" from EXPLORING Short Stories [from a lecture by the author about writing and publishing the story, and the public reaction]

Criticisms:

• "The Lottery" Overview by Linda Wagner-Martin from Reference Guide to Short Fiction
• Jackson's "The Lottery" by Seymour Leinhoff from EXPLORING Short Stories [scapegoat theme]
• A Marxist/Feminist Reading of "The Lottery" by Peter Kosenko from DISCovering Authors
• "The Lottery": Symbolic Tour de Force by Helen Nebeker from EXPLORING Short Stories [ritual, savagery, and religious symbolism]
• The Stoning of Mistress Hutchinson: Meaning and Context in "The Lottery" by Fritz Oehlschlaeger from EXPLORING Short Stories [design of the lottery process, role of women]