xi ABSTRACT
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes in Shirley Jackson’s the Lottery.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery describes a small community whose old-time tradition prescribes them to choose one among them for the sake of sacrificial offering to guarantee big harvest. This tradition makes them do violence and brutality toward the winner of the lottery ritual because they still believe that it will bring happiness.
There are three problems formulated as the basis of the research. The first problem is about how the plot is revealed in the story. The second problem is about how the characters’ attitude toward the lottery drawing is reflected from the plot. The third problem is about the idea of postmodernism as seen through the characters’ attitude.
The writing of this undergraduate thesis uses library research to compile data and analyze them. The data are collected through books, magazines, and web-based articles. The approach which is used in the research is moral philosophical approach. This approach is used to reveal the characters’ attitude toward the tradition along with the idea of postmodernism which can be seen from the characters’ attitude.
xii
ABSTRAK
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes in Shirley Jackson’s the Lottery.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
Cerita pendek karangan Shirley Jackson berjudul The Lottery mendeskripsikan komunitas kecil dimana sebuah tradisi lama menentukan mereka untuk memilih salah satu dari masyarakat demi tumbal pengorbanan untuk memastikan panen melimpah.Tradisi ini membuat mereka melakukan kekerasan dan tindakan kejam terhadap pemenang ritual karena mereka percaya bahwa tradisi tersebut dapat memberikan kebahagiaan.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah yang disusun sebagai landasan penelitian.Pertama tentang bagaimana jalan cerita diungkap dalam cerita. Kedua tentang bagaimana sikap tokoh-tokoh terhadap penarikan undian yang terungkap di jalan cerita.Ketiga tentang gagasan postmodernisme dilihat melalui sikap tokoh-tokoh.
Penulisan skripsi ini menggunakan studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data dan menganalisinya. Sumber data tersebut adalah buku-buku, majalah, dan artikel-artikel internet. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah moral-filosofi.Pendekatan ini digunakan untuk mengungkapkan sikap tokoh-tokoh terhadap tradisi bersamaan dengan gagasan postmodernisme yang mana dapat dilihat dari sikap tokoh-tokoh cerita.
i
THE IDEA OF POSTMODERNISM AS SEEN THROUGH THE
CHARACTERS’ ATTITUDES IN SHIRLEY JACKSON’S
THE
LOTTERY
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO Student number: 114214066
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
THE IDEA OF POSTMODERNISM AS SEEN THROUGH THE
CHARACTERS’ ATTITUDES
TOWARD THE LOTTERY IN
SHIRLEY
JACKSON’S “
THE LOTTERY
”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO Student number: 114214066
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that, to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the text of the undergraduate thesis.
Yogyakarta, January 18, 2017
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yand bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma Nama : Jelito Rahadian De Deus Soriano
Nomor Mahasiswa : 114214066
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
THE IDEA OF POSTMODERNISM AS SEEN THROUGH THE
CHARACTERS’ ATTITUDES
TOWARD THE LOTTERY IN
SHIRLEY JACKSON’S “
THE LOTTERY
”
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 18 Januari 2017 Yang menyatakan,
vii
I have not come this far
viii
For
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This page is dedicated to those who helped me and supported me in the process of writing this thesis. First of all, I would like to thank God for His blessing and guidance. This Undergraduate Thesis would have never been done without His help.
Second, I thank my thesis Advisor, Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hum., for her patience in guiding me writing this thesis and for suggestions that were really valuable. I would also like to thank Elisabeth Arti Wulandari S.S., M.A., the co-advisor, for her advice to help me finish my thesis. I would like to express my gratitude to all the lecturers of English Letters and the staffs for their support and guidance they give since the first time I entered English Letters Department.
In this opportunity, my sincere gratitude goes to my family, Bapa, Mama, Arsa, Belinda, and the big families of Soriano, for their endless pray and support. A special thank goes to my grandma and my uncle for telling me a lot of valuable lessons. I also thank all my friends who had been supporting me to finish my undergraduate thesis.
x
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... 7
A. Review of Related Studies ... 7
B. The Attitudes of the Characters toward the Lottery reflected ... from the Plot ... 25
C. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes.... 34
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION ... 48
xi ABSTRACT
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes toward the Lottery in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” describes a small community
whose old-time tradition prescribes them to choose one among them for the sake of sacrificial offering to guarantee big harvest. This tradition makes them do violence and brutality toward the winner of the lottery ritual because they still believe that it will bring happiness.
There are three problems formulated as the basis of the research. The first problem is about how the plot is revealed in the story. The second problem is
about how the characters’ attitude toward the lottery drawing is reflected from the
plot. The third problem is about the idea of postmodernism as seen through the
characters’ attitude.
The writing of this undergraduate thesis uses library research to compile data and analyze them. The data were collected through books, magazines, and web-based articles. The approach which was used in the research is moral philosophical approach. This approach was used to reveal the characters’ attitude toward the tradition along with the idea of postmodernism which can be seen from
the characters’ attitude.
The analyses are as follows: the plot of “The Lottery” reveals the initial situation or the exposition, conflict, climax, suspension, and conclusion. Plot reveals the actions of the characters through what the characters think and feel; therefore, the characters attitude can be drawn based on the plot. Faithful is shown in the characters’ attitude. People in the village really enjoy doing the lottery as the tradition even if they should kill the one who gets the lot. They believe that the lottery will bring a big harvest. Old Man Warner shows his anger because some people talk about giving up the lottery. Old Man Warner believes that tradition is the only way to gain happiness. Mrs. Hutchinson is also one of the characters who show the excitement toward the perpetuation of the tradition. Ironically, she ends up as a winner in the lottery. As a winner she should be stoned by everyone in that
village including her family. The characters’ attitude toward the lottery believes
that the lottery is the only way to gain happiness. Therefore, it can be concluded
xii
ABSTRAK
JELITO RAHADIAN DE DEUS SORIANO. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes toward the Lottery in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
Cerita pendek karangan Shirley Jackson berjudul “The Lottery” mendeskripsikan komunitas kecil di mana sebuah tradisi lama menentukan mereka untuk memilih salah satu dari masyarakat demi tumbal pengorbanan untuk memastikan panen melimpah. Tradisi ini membuat mereka melakukan kekerasan dan tindakan kejam terhadap pemenang ritual karena mereka percaya bahwa tradisi tersebut dapat memberikan kebahagiaan.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah yang disusun sebagai landasan penelitian. Pertama tentang bagaimana jalan cerita diungkap dalam cerita. Kedua tentang bagaimana sikap tokoh-tokoh terhadap penarikan undian yang terungkap di jalan cerita. Ketiga tentang gagasan postmodernisme dilihat melalui sikap tokoh-tokoh.
Penulisan skripsi ini menggunakan studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data dan menganalisanya. Sumber data tersebut adalah buku-buku, majalah, dan artikel-artikel internet. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah moral-filosofi. Pendekatan ini digunakan untuk mengungkapkan sikap tokoh-tokoh terhadap tradisi bersamaan dengan gagasan postmodernisme yang mana dapat dilihat dari sikap tokoh-tokoh cerita.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
As a human being, we believe in certain values in this world. Modern people might not believe in that kind of superstition anymore. They only believe in progress or reason to prove their judgment. This idea comes from modernist people who introduced us to their Enlightenment. It is believed that Enlightenment
has “opened the prospect of progress toward a life in this world of universal peace
and happiness” (Abrams, 1985:52). Modernists try to gain their happiness through
reason to solve the crucial problems and to establish the essential norms in life. It makes the tradition and superstitions fall apart.
In 1960s a new concept questioning modernism emerged, as pointed out by
Sarup that “it has probably emerged as a specific reaction against the established
forms of high modernism” (Sarup, 1993:131). This situation led philosophers like
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson becomes a famous short story after it is
published in 1948. The lottery tells about the tradition which is being held by the people on that village to gain happiness. The people of the story still believe that
human sacrifice will bring a big harvest at that time. Sacrificing a human’s life
becomes the ritual tradition which is held every summer. Summer is supposed to be a beautiful season when flowers are blossoming and the green grass is totally colorful. However, in the lottery, summer becomes a time for death and killing neighbors.
The lottery talks about how tradition becomes the main concern of the most people in that village. The lottery as a tradition is so cruel because every summer someone’s life should be sacrificed and the murderers are his/her own neighbors. The writer wants to show that some tradition like the lottery is a kind of ritual which is still believed by human beings. This belief is based on people’s belief that is made by the society. The villagers in the story only can think that big harvest may happen if they could sacrifice someone in the lottery. They create the lottery because people in that village want to bring a big harvest to the village. They also find that they cannot use their knowledge to achieve their goal, so that they perpetuate the tradition.
Considering the nature of postmodernism and characters’ attitudes in the
story, it is assumed that the idea of postmodernism fit on the way the character’s
3
that village sees that the lottery is the only way to solve the problems. That is why the term of postmodernism is used by the writer of the thesis.
Jackson’s “The Lottery” is chosen because the characters’ attitudes from the
story show the idea of postmodernism itself which is really interesting to analyze. The way people think about the lottery is extremely far from being humane. The
characters’ attitudes in the lottery are the main concern of the writer. Besides of
thesis, the writer also focused on the idea of postmodernism as seen through the
characters’ attitudes toward the lottery.
B. Problem Formulation
In relation with the explanations above there are three problems to discuss. 1. How is the plot revealed in the story?
2. How are the characters’ attitudes toward the lottery drawing reflected from the plot?
3. What are the ideas of postmodernism as seen through the characters’ attitudes?
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulations that have been mentioned, the objectives of study are represented as follows.
The undergraduate thesis has a purpose to show that the characters’ attitudes
The plot from the story is the first point to know. The plot must be understood to know the basic concept in order to find out each attitude from the characters that might be the concept of postmodernism.
The point of view from all the characters in the story has different ideas that make the idea of postmodernism comes up. The attitudes from the characters can be seen from before, during, and after the lottery drawing after analyzing the plots from the story. Based on those, the characters show their attitudes toward the tradition. It becomes the concept that creates the idea of Postmodernism.
After mapping all those things, the writer has some ideas from the characters’ attitudes that become the concept of Postmodernism’s idea. This is where the idea of Postmodernism rises. That is how the writer of this thesis answers the questions.
D. Definition of Terms
As stated in the tittle and explored in the above explanation, the writer wants to clarify some terms used in this undergraduate thesis. The term that is used by the writer is postmodernism.
1. Postmodernism
The term of postmodernism is defined by Kevin Hart in his book where he explains what Lyotard said about posmodernism
‘So let us return to Lyotard. The postmodern, he argued, was an attitude of
suspicion towards the modern. Why? Because the modern always appeals
to a “meta-narrative” of some kind, something that overarches all human
5
can attain enlightenment or peace by judicious use of reason, that we can become happy or prosperous, that any of our higher goals can be achieved if only we wait and work, work and wait.’ He clears his throat. ‘If the modern designates the era of emancipation and knowledge, consensus and totalities, then postmodern marks an attitude of disbelief towards the modern (Hart, 2004: 2).
It is clearly stated that Postmodernism is different from Modernism. Derrida also says that postmodernism attacked, “the ideals of reason, clarity, truth, and
progress” (Barry, 2002:86) that was provided by modernism. As a basic concept,
it means that they share different idea in it.
To understand this idea, the term modernism should be understood.
According to Powell “Modernism is a blanket term for an explosion of new styles
and trends in the arts in the half of 20th century” (Powell, 1998:20). Modernism is
term that is related to “the Age of Enlightenment, also known as the Age of
Reason. Probably the main value of the age, besides reason was the idea of
progress” (Powell, 1998:20). The writer wants to say that modernism is a new
idea for humanity based on reason and logic. At the 18th century people are
optimistic that by using the universal values of science, reason, and logic, they could get rid of all the myths and holy ideas that kept humanity from progressing. They felt this would be eventually free humanity from misery, religion, superstition, all irrational behavior, and unfounded belief. Humanity would use thus progress to state freedom, happiness, and progress (Powell, 1998:20-21)
Postmodernism, as Lyotard puts it, believes “that the nature of knowledge cannot survive unchanged within this context of general transformation. The status of
knowledge is altered as societies enter what is known as the postmodern age”
2. Attitude
An Attitude is generally defined as the way a person responds to his or her environment, either positively or negatively. (http://www.boundless.com/
7
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
Since this study is going to find out the idea of postmodernism through the
characters’ attitudes from The Lottery, the writer wants to see another study from
undergraduate researcher. Linda Valentina Budiman in her study about The Lottery states
The result of this study showed that characters attitudes before and during the lottery drawing are very anxious although there are some characters who do not show their worried such as Tessie Hutchinson and Old Man Warner. The Lottery that has been done so many years also brings some effects toward the
characters’ life. There are two kinds of effect: general and specific effect.
Generally, the lottery makes people accept it blindly without questioning what it is actually for, and it makes them become narrow-minded in such a way that they are willing to kill one of them every year for sake of a good harvest (Budiman, 2000:6).
What can be inferred from the statement above is that the lottery can bring a great impact to the characters in the story. It also makes people in that village just accept the lottery that has been carried out for so many years without any questions in their mind. The questions here are about human values and right, as mentioned above, are severely neglected by killing anybody who wins the lottery.
Another study reviewed for the research is taken from Gisela Swara Gita
Andika’s study. She clarified that Pi as a main character in Life of Pi shows the
ideas of postmodernism from his attitudes. She states that
people to go beyond and admit that all religions are true. Pi believes in this notion, and he practices three religions to find comfort and peace in his life (Andika, 2012:86).
This statement means that the aspect of postmodernism can be seen in the way how the character learns the three religions which are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. Religious pluralism can be a guidance to get the understanding that all religions are true. Pluralism in that statement shows that it belongs to the idea of postmodernism.
Based on two studies above, the writer here wants to show that one of the ways to find out ideas from the story or novel is from the characters. All characters have their own point of view in the way to see something that might happen in their life. The writer of the thesis develops something different from the previous studies. The characters’ attitudes from the plot as the main focus here can also show the idea of postmodernism. It shows that plot can be an important aspect to reveal either the general or specific idea of the story. The main analysis is about the characters’ attitudes which are revealed from the plot and how it reflects the idea of postmodernism.
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theory of Plot
According to Abrams, “plot in a dramatic or narrative work is constituted by
its events and actions, as these are rendered and ordered toward achieving particular emotional and artistic effects” (1993:159). In other words, plot is a concept which is related to events and actions in the story. Abrams also mentions
9
discourse as well as physical actions) are performed by particular characters in a work, and are the means by which they exhibit moral and dispositional qualities” (1993: 159). It also means that the actions and attitudes of the characters can be seen through plot.
Gustav Freytag as guided by Guerin mentions that plot is divided into five
sections; “exposition, rising action, climax (or turning point), falling action, and
denouement (comedy) or catastrophe (tragedy)” (Guerin, 1979:8). The exposition
is “the background information needed to properly understand a story” (Guerin,
1979:8). It means that to find the exposition, the reader has to know about the basic information of the story, such as the basic conflict or the setting. After that,
the writer can find the rising action from the story. The rising action is “the
inciting moment sets the remainder of the story in motion” (Guerin, 1979:8). But
before finding out the rising action, the writer has to know the basic conflict
which is complicated by “the introduction of other conflicts, such as setbacks”
(Guerin, 1979:8).
Then the writer can decide the climax from the story. The climax “marks a
major change for the protagonist” (Guerin, 1979:8). It means that the character will face his ultimate test that happens in the story. The falling action comes after
the climax. It contains “a moment of final suspense, during which the final
outcome of the conflict is in doubt” (Guerin, 1979:8). Conclusion is the final part of the plot. Freytag mentions that in some genres of the story, they can reveal
different conclusion. “Comedy ends with denouement (conclusion, or wrapping
a catastrophe in which the protagonist is destroyed in some way” (Guerin,
1979:8).
2. Theory of the Relation between Plot and Character
According to Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs in Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, a character can be disclosed by considering
these factors: “what the character say (and think), what the character do, what
other characters say about him/her, and what the author says about him/her” (1989: 147-148). Therefore, what the character do can show the characters’ attitude and some ideas beyond it.
Another study is taken from Abrams. He states that “characters are persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, emotional qualities that expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do-the action” (1993:23). There is a strong relation between the plot and the character. Abrams also states it clearly in his book that “as a plot progresses it arouses expectations in the audience or reader about the future course of events and actions and how the characters will
respond to them” (1993:160). So, it is possible to find out the attitude from the characters that is revealed from the plot.
In presenting the characters, the technique adopted can be either showing or telling. In his book, Abrams gives two methods of characterization. He explains that
11
motives and dispositions lie behind what they say and do. Here a reader
has to be accurate in reading the characters’ dialogue and action in order
to guess is the reason behind all they say and do. Therefore a reader has to
be critical in seeing and judging the characters’ dialogue and action
(Abrams, 1993:24)
Another way that can be used to clarify the characters is by indirect presentation.
Scott in his book explains that “the author shows us the character in action; we
infer what he is like from what he thinks or says or does” (1968:5). Those two methods will be very useful to analyze the characters in the story because Abrams clearly states all theory of character in there. In the lottery the characters attitude can be revealed from the plot. Plot has connection to the progress from the characters. It contains the actions of the characters which can be seen through what the characters think and feel. It means that the actions from the characters also conclude to their attitude.
3. Theories on Postmodernism
According to Abrams “the term postmodernism is sometimes applied to the
literature after World War II (1939-45), when the effects on Western morale of the first war were greatly exacerbated by the experience of Nazi totalitarianism and mass extermination, the threat of total destruction by atomic bomb, the progressive devastation of the natural environment, and ominous fact of
overpopulation” (1993:120). Lyotard also states that “since World War II, people
no longer believe in the grand narratives. After all, applying science and reason to the construction of gas chambers and efficient railroad schedules, the Nazis
Abrams also states that “an undertaking in some postmodernist writings is to subvert the foundations of our accepted modes of thought and experience so as to
reveal the “meaningless”, of existence and the underlying “abyss”, or ”void”, or
“nothingness” on which any supposed security is conceived to be precariously
suspended” (Abrams, 1993:120).
In other words, many of postmodernism terms are applied to some work of literature after World War II. Besides, the effect of World War II has great impact to the literature work. It is also said that the foundations of postmodernism thought accepted the meaningless, abyss, void, and nothingness for the study. According to Waugh and Rite in their book, they clarified the meaning of postmodernism as
a “mood” expressed theoretically across a diverse range of theoretical discourses and involving: a focus on the collapse of grand narratives into
local incommensurable language games or “little narratives; a
Foucauldian emphasis on discontinuity an plurality of history as discursively produced and formulated, and a tendency to view the discourses of Enlightenment reason as complicit with the instrumental rationalization of modern life (1996:289).
From the quotation above, it is clear that postmodernism tries to focus on the rejection of the grand narratives. Postmodernism believes that the grand narratives should be changed into little narratives.
Another concept of Postmodernism is also being described by Jim Powell on his book. He described that Postmodernism was a term which was after the Modernism. He writes
Postmodernism as the “post” preface implies, is something that follows
modernism. However, people who think about such things as
Postmodernism don’t agree whether Postmodernism is a break from
13
even agree as to what modernism is, much less Postmodernism (Powell, 1998:19).
It means that the project of enlightenment as a value had lost its credibility. The
project is about “fostering of this belief that a break with tradition, blind habit, and
slavish obedience to religious precepts and prohibitions, coupled with the application of reason and logic by disinterested individual, can bring about a
solution to the problems of society” (Barry, 2002:85). Some of the philosopher
such us Derrida believe that the enlightenment is uncompleted project. They try to
get rid the value of the enlightenment. In his view “the ideals of reason, clarity,
truth, and progress, and as they were thereby detached from the quest for justice, he identified them as ‘young conservatives’” (Barry, 2002:86).
For Lyotard, the project of enlightenment tries to totalize explanations of things like Christianity or the myth of scientific progress. As explained in Peter
Barry’s book, for Lyotard postmodernism is simply
Incredulity towards metanarratives” (2002:86). He believes that
metanarratives of “progress and human perfectability, then, are no longer tenable, and the best we can hope for is a series of ‘mininarratives’, which
are provisional, contingent, temporary, and relative and which provide a basis for actions of specific group in particular local circumstances (Barry, 2002:87).
A series of mini narratives such as myths, legends and tales “legitimize themselves-make themselves believable-just in telling. And at the same time they
legitimize the society in which they are told” (Powell, 1998:34). It means that
That is why postmodernism reject the grand narratives and change it into mininarratives.
To understand this idea, the term modernism should be understood.
According to Powell “Modernism is a blanket term for an explosion of new styles
and trends in the arts in the half of 20th century” (Powell, 1998:20). Modernism is
term that is related to “the Age of Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason. Probably the main value of the age, besides reason was the idea of progress” (Powell, 1998:20). It means that modernism is a new idea for humanity based on reason and logic. At the 18th century, people become
optimistic that by using the universal values of science, reason, and logic, they could get rid of all the myths and holy ideas that kept humanity from progressing. They felt this would be eventually free humanity from misery, religion, superstition, all irrational behavior, and unfounded belief. Humanity would use thus progress to state freedom, happiness, and progress (Powell, 1998:20-21)
Postmodernism as a new term after modernism has another idea, proposing that
“the nature of knowledge cannot survive unchanged within this context of general
transformation. The status of knowledge is altered as societies enter what is
known as the postmodern age” (Sarup, 1993:118).
Fredric Jameson in his essay states that “postmodernism emerged as the reaction against the established forms of high modernism. The key point to the
spirit of postmodernism is the reaction against anything modernly organized”
(Jameson in Kaplan 1988:18).
According to Lyotard in Jim Powell’s book, he states that postmodernism
“has to do with skepticism about Grand narratives; and it is about heterogeneity”
15
Glenn Ward’s book, he mentions that postmodernism is about Knowingness.
Knowingness in postmodernism “insists on ‘self-conscious, self-contradictory,
self-undermining statement’. Since few people trust their convictions or believe
the world can change for better, irony is the only option” (Ward, 2010: 9). It
means that the only way to find out better change is only from the irony. Irony in
the postmodernism is “therefore not just cynical, not just a way of making fun of
the world. It demonstrates a knowingness about how reality is ideologically
constructed” (Nicol, 2002:13).
C. Theoretical Framework
The theories stated above in this chapter will be used to analyze the lottery. The three theories, the theory of plot will describe the plot in the lottery to find out the way of how the story goes on. Theory on character will provide some information to identify the act of the characters in the short story. The theory on
characters is also used to find out how the characters’ attitude the lottery based on
the plot.
This thesis uses the idea of postmodernism from many sources as the basic. The analysis will be mainly based on concept of postmodernism. Making an intensive review on the theory and studying it from many points of view such as historically and its development as one of the philosophical school the writer would try to find the idea of postmodernism as seen through the characters’
attitudes in Jackson’s the Lottery.
17
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” was a short story which is published in June
1948, an issue of The New Yorker magazine. “The Lottery” was successful for the first time when it was published and has become one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature. The world of Shirley Jackson is horrified and unforgettable. She is the writer who writes something which is not predictable because especially in “The Lottery” she makes a beautiful summer-day with nothing seems going to happen into something that is really horrible. The story is taken from The Lottery and Other Stories by Macmillan in his book on 1988. The story is in page 149 until 154.
The lottery is a short story that takes place in small a village somewhere in America. A small village where all the residents must participate in the tradition which is held every summer and then becomes a nightmare for some folks there. It goes with a normal condition when people gather around to the square for the lottery. However, at the end of the story the winner is executed to by the people in that village. As the result, the winner of the lottery should be dead.
B. Approach of the Study
This thesis deals with the idea of postmodernism as seen through the
Lottery” can be said to have a value that is from the tragedy that has been done in such traditions which is supposed to kill somebody to get happiness. The great World War II can be the one of the effects that make such tradition like that exists. Therefore the Moral-philosophical approach is applied in the analysis since there is an indication of the presence of a philosophical value in the lottery. According to Guerin, Moral-philosophical “is an approach of which is basic to examine the
literary work that teach morality and to probe philosophical issue” (Guerin,
1979:29). Since this undergraduate thesis assumes that the lottery teaches a unique way on doing the tradition, it is possible to do a research using this approach. With this approach, the analysis to find the idea of postmodernism through the characters’ attitudes in the lottery will be possible to be done.
C. Method of the Study
In order to support this research, several resources and data are used. They are books and some references related to the lottery and idea of postmodernism. The library research method was used as the main method in order to find out the short story and supportive readings to the study topic. The writer also used internet to collect some useful data related to the research. From the relevant website, the writer got some information about the author, the short story, and related articles. Several steps in the following were done to gain result of the study.
Firstly, the writer read the story in order to understand what the story is about. Close reading were used to get the information. A list of worth-studying elements
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to specify the relation between plot and the characters’ attitude. Afterwards, the other sources about the idea of postmodernism were read. Then, the writer made a list shortening in order to narrowing the study could be done. It was decided that this undergraduate thesis would find more about the characters’ attitude and relate it with postmodernism.
The second step was analyzing the data and starting to make research in more systematically form. The writer tried to make the problem formulation as the guidance for the analysis and began to analyze the problem. The first problem formulation is related to the plots that can be found in the story. The second problem formulation is how was the characters’ attitudes based on the plots toward the lottery drawing was possible to answer after having and understanding of the concept from postmodernism. Then, relate the attitudes from the characters to the idea of postmodernism.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a short story that tells about a small
group of people who that still believe in the tradition which is called lottery. This tradition is an event in the story which makes people in that village killing their neighbor in exchange to get a big harvest. The story goes by showing a contact, and a communication within all the characters toward the lottery. Most of the activity that the characters do in the short story is the routine of the lottery event.
In this chapter the writer is going to analyze three items. First, the writer is going to analyze the plot of the story which is mentioned in the problem formulations. The second part is about the characters’ attitudes toward the lottery drawing that is reflected from the plot of the story. This part will be divided into three sections; before, during, and after the lottery drawing. On the final part, the writer will answer the last question from problem formulations which are about the ideas of postmodernism as seen through the characters’ attitudes.
A. The Plot of the Lottery
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THE MORNING of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. The people of the village began to gather in the square,
between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock (Jackson,
1988:149).
The quotation above tells that the lottery is a ritual that happens in such a beautiful season. It is unclear to see the price of the lottery. The people also seem really want to be a winner.
The mystery of the lottery begins when the children also gather around to join the lottery.
The children assembled first, of course. School was recently over for the summer, and the feeling of liberty sat uneasily on most of them; they tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands. 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 older brothers or sisters. (Jackson, 1988:149)
As stated in the quotation above it is clear that the lottery is the ritual which makes the children interested in it. They are doing their activity without understanding or questioning about the concept of the ritual. They really enjoy their holiday because at that time the school is recently over for the summer. The writer of the thesis also might say that the children are really excited about it.
Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square, her sweater thrown over her shoulders, and slid into the place in the back of
the crowd. “Clean forgot what day it was, “she said to Mrs. Delacroix who
stood next to her, and they both laughed softly. “Thought my old man was out back stacking wood,” Mrs. Hutchinson went on, “and then I looked out
the window and the kids was gone, and then I remembered it was the twenty-seventh and came a-running.” She dried her hands on her apron
and Mrs. Delacroix said, “You’re in time, though. They’re still talking
away up there.”(Jackson, 1988:150).
They are really happy to join the lottery although Mrs. Hutchinson comes late to the square because she forgets the day of the lottery. Mrs. Hutchinson still can joke around with Mrs. Delacroix and talk about many things.
As the lottery begins, the conflict in the story rises. There are some people who say that the other village already quit the lottery. It makes the oldest man in the village angry when he hears that. It is Old Man Warner who gets angry on that.
Old Man Warner snorted. “Pack of crazy fools,” he said. “Listening to the
young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know,
they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed an acorns. There’s always been lottery,” he added petulantly. “Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody”
(Jackson, 1988:152)
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Another conflict from the story also happens when Mr. Hutchinson is the one who wins the lot but his wife, Mrs. Hutchinson disagrees with the decision
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!”(Jackson,
1988:152).
It is really weird to see Mrs. Hutchinson protests the decision of the lottery. She knows that her husband is the winner and she does not like it. The writer of the thesis sees that there is something wrong with the lottery. It means that the winner in the lottery will not get something good. There is also something weird when
Mrs. Delacroix and Mrs. Graves think that the lottery is fair for everyone. “Be a
good sport, Tessie,” Mrs. Delacroix called, and Mrs. Graves said, “All of us took
the same chance” (Jackson, 1988:152-153). That statement means that they do not
like to win the lottery. They also refuse to give another chance to Hutchinson family.
As the story goes, the writer finds that there is something strange to see why Mrs. Hutchinson really wants to restart the lottery by involving her children to make everything fair for her family.
There’s Don and Eva,” Mrs. Hutchinson yelled. “Make them take their
chance!”
“Daughters draw with their husbands’ families, Tessie,” Mr. Summers said genly. “You know that as well as anyone else.”
“It wasn’t fair,” Tessie said.
“I guess not, Joe,” Bill Hutchinson said regretfully. “There’s Bill, Jr., and Nancy, and little Dave. And Tessie and me.”
Mr. Graves nodded and held up the slips of paper. “Put them in the box, then,” Mr. Summers directed. “Take Bill’s and put it in.”
“I think we ought to start over,” Mrs. Hutchinson said, as quietly as she could. “I tell you it wasn’t fair. You didn’t give him time enough to choose. Everybody saw that” (Jackson, 1988:153).
Those conversations lead the writer to another confusion of the lottery as the ritual in that village. Mrs. Hutchinson is supposed to be happy when she knows that her husband is the winner. But in the story, she refuses the decision and wants to start all over again.
After the lottery starts over again for Hutchinson family, the climax from the story rises. It happens when Mrs. Hutchinson becomes a winner of the lottery. But the writer does not see what the price is from the lottery. It feels strange also
to see the happiness of Nancy and Bill as you can see in this quotation. “Nancy
and Bill, Jr., opened theirs at the same time, and both beamed and laughed, turning around to the crowd and holding their slips of paper above their heads” (Jackson, 1988:154). This also approves that everyone on that village do not want to be a winner in the lottery.
Mrs. Hutchinson also keeps saying that it is not fair. She protests the second result of the drawing. This suspension makes the writer wants to know what is going to happen next. At the first time, the writer sees that Mrs. Hutchinson is really excited about the lottery. She tries to give her husband support when she knows that her husband will get the draw. “Get up there, Bill,”
Mrs. Hutchinson said, and the people near laughed” (Jackson, 1988:152). But
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The people in that village do not care anymore to what Mrs. Hutchinson says as mentioned in quotation below
All right, folks,” Mr. Summers said. “Let’s finish quickly.”
Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground with the blowing scraps of paper that had come out the box. Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar.
“Come on,” she said. “Hurry up (Jackson, 1988:154).
They begin to pick up the stones for the ritual. As mentioned in the quotation, the writer also knows the prize of the lottery. It makes a clear explanation why the children stuff up full of stones in their pocket. The conclusion of the story tells us upon the death of Mrs. Hutchinson. Mrs. Hutchinson also keeps saying “it isn’t
fair, it isn’t right” (Jackson, 1988:154). But no one listens to her and stoned her to
fulfill the ritual.
B. The Attitudes of the Characters toward the Lottery reflected from the Plot
The second part of this chapter will analyze the attitudes of the Characters toward the lottery as reflected in the plot of the story. The writer will use theory from Abrams, V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. The theory on characters from those experts will help the writer finds the attitudes from the characters.
village. The lottery happens in the beautiful summer day of June 27th. It is also stated in the story that the lottery has been done for so many years in that village. In that beautiful day, there is a tragic thing that leads to the human attitudes in that village.
There is a black box in the square with slips of paper in there which has been prepared before. Each member of the family must take this paper randomly. After all the people in there get one slip of paper in their hands, they are allowed to open it. The paper that has a sign in there will be the chosen one. Then people begin to throw the stone at the person that get the sign on his or her paper until
die. They don’t care about killing their neighbor as the fulfillment of the tradition
itself. They only believe that after doing that thing, the big harvest will come into their village.
They never think clearly of what might happen after killing their own neighbor. They only care about the big harvest whether they should sacrifice the people in there including their own family. But there are some people in the story who also think that the lottery is useless. The other village already quit doing the lottery. These sorts of attitudes lead the following analysis into several sections; the attitudes in the initial situation, the attitudes in the conflict, and the attitudes in the climax, and attitudes in the conclusion.
1. The Attitudes of the Characters in the Exposition
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and talk among themselves. There are small talk about classroom and the teacher among them.
The children assembled first, of course. School was recently over for the summer, and the feeling of liberty sat uneasily on most of them; they tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands. 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 older brothers or sisters. (Jackson, 1988:149)
The quotation above shows the attitude of the children toward the lottery. They show curiosity. They feel curious because it is the lottery day in which one person should be chosen as the winner to end this very important day. They know that one of them would be chosen as a winner in the lottery but
they don’t seem to care about it and just follow what they have to do. Bobby
Martin is one example of the boy who doesn’t care about what would happen
to him at the lottery. He stuffs himself with stones in his pocket. This shows that the children are being faithful in the story as their attitude.
Not only the children but also the men feel the same way. They feel curious about who will be chosen in the lottery. They come to the square because of the lottery day. They seem to be really friendly among themselves by talking to each other and joking around.
The quotation above shows their faith towards the lottery. However, unlike the children, they show anxiety instead of curiosity. They feel anxious because their jokes are quiet and they only smile rather than laughing. It feels that they really want to know who will be the chosen one in the lottery. They know they will fight with each other for their luck in the lottery. Even though they know they will fight with each other, they still come to the square. It means that they have faith in the lottery.
Friendliness is created among the women. They say hello to each other when they gather around in the square. They greet one another and talk a bit
of gossip. It is stated in this quotation, “The women, wearing faded house
dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their menfolk. They greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip as they went to join their husbands” (Jackson, 1988:149). It also shows that the women’s attitude is friendly.
Friendly atmosphere is also shown through by the conversation between Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Delacroix. It happens when the lottery drawing is about to start.
Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square, her sweater thrown over her shoulders, and slid into the place in the back
of the crowd. “Clean forgot what day it was, “she said to Mrs. Delacroix who stood next to her, and they both laughed softly. “Thought my old man was out back stacking wood,” Mrs. Hutchinson went on, “and then I
looked out the window and the kids was gone, and then I remembered it was the twenty-seventh and came a-running.” She dried her hands on her
apron and Mrs. Delacroix said, “You’re in time, though. They’re still
talking away up there. (Jackson, 1988:150).
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the village are friendly enough. They seem to know each other well. It is
shown by the response from the people in that village to Mrs. Hutchinson’s
joke.
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 the position after
Mrs. Hutchinson’s arrival. (Jackson, 1988:151)
They do not show that they worry enough about the lottery because they are still doing that although they know that they must kill whoever is chosen.
Mrs. Hutchinson shows that she really enjoys being a part of the lottery. A small talk and joke with Mrs. Delacroix reveals the attitude of Mrs. Hutchinson. She seems to be not worried about the lottery even though she comes late to the square. It means that Mrs. Hutchinson feels no problem toward the lottery.
2. The Attitudes of the Characters in the Conflict
When the lottery begins, people who gather around in the square do not show something different in their attitudes. They still enjoy the lottery as usual. But, there is a small talk about giving up the lottery which happens in the north village. It makes Old Man Warner shows his anger. He does not want to give up the lottery. He refuses to follow what the north village does.
Old Man Warner snorted. “Pack of crazy fools,” he said. “Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore,
live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn
“Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody”
(Jackson, 1988:152)
He believes that the lottery must be followed by everybody in the village. He does not feel nervous when getting his lot. He encouraged the other people by
saying “Seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery,” Old Man Warner said as
he went through the crowd. “Seventy-seventh time” (Jackson, 1988:152). His faith toward the lottery makes him believe that the lottery should not be abandoned because he believes that the lottery will bring happiness.
On the other hand, Mrs. Hutchinson also never shows that she is worried or scared. She supports her husband, Bill Hutchinson, when he is
doing his lot. “Get up there, Bill,” Mrs. Hutchinson said, and the people near
her laughed” (Jackson, 1988:152). From Mrs. Hutchinson’s statement above,
it seems that Mrs. Hutchinson doesn’t worry at all. Her attitude does not show that she is nervous or scared. Instead, she gives support to her husband as if something would not happen to her. This is really different since other people feel nervous about their lot. She likes watching her husband doing the lot instead.
There has been a long pause after they get their lot. Suddenly their attitudes change. It begins when Mrs. Hutchinson knows that her husband is the chosen one or the winner. She feels that the lot is not fair for their family. She seems really angry after knowing the decision from the lots. “You didn’t
give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair!”
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chance to draw the lot. “There’s Don and Eva,” Mrs. Hutchinson yelled.
“Make them take their chance!” (Jackson, 1988:153). It also makes Mrs.
Hutchinson shows that she is scared to accept the decision. It shows different attitude from her due to the fact that at the beginning she seems very excited
about the lottery as mentioned in this quotation “Get up there, Bill,” Mrs.
Hutchinson said, and the people near laughed” (Jackson, 1988:152). She tries
to give a support when her husband has his turn to take the lot. On the other hand, Mrs. Delacroix and Mrs. Graves really hate the fact that Mrs.
Hutchinson thinks that the lot for their family is not fair. “Be a good sport,
Tessie,” Mrs. Delacroix called, and Mrs. Graves said, “All of us took the
same chance” (Jackson, 1988:152-153).
3. The Attitudes of the Characters in the Climax
After knowing the fact that Bill Hutchinson is the winner of the lot, Mrs. Hutchinson thinks that the lottery should be restarted. Nancy and Bill who get their chance feel really happy when they know that they are not the
winner of the lottery. “Nancy and Bill, Jr., opened theirs at the same time, and
both beamed and laughed, turning around to the crowd and holding their slips
of paper above their heads” (Jackson, 1988:154). Those show that they do not
regret for missing the chance to win the lottery.
As the lottery restarts, Mrs. Hutchinson has become the winner of the lottery.
“It’s Tessie,” Mr. Summers said, and his voice was hushed. “Show us her paper, Bill.”
Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand. It had a black spot on it, the black spot Mr. Summers had made the night before with the heavy pencil in the coal-company office (Jackson, 1988:154).
The statements above also show their faith toward the lottery because they seem to not worry about Mrs. Hutchinson anymore, even Bill Hutchinson as her husband. They only want to finish the lottery so they can get a big harvest in that day.
4. The Attitudes of the Characters in the Conclusion
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Mrs. Delacroix who has a good relationship with Mrs. Hutchinson before the lottery start. Instead of helping her friend, she begins to select a large stone to
be used. It is stated that “Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to
pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar. “Come on,” she said.
“Hurry up” (Jackson, 1988:154).
A good relationship between people in that village has gone after the lottery drawing. Mrs. Hutchinson also keeps saying that everything happens
here is not fair. “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right,” Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and
they were upon her” (Jackson, 1988:154). All people including her family
begin to throw some stones into her without any doubt.
It seems that Old Man Warner is really excited when the lottery finds the winner. He asks everybody to stone the winner. Old Man Warner is
saying “Come on, come on, everyone” (Jackson, 1988:154). It makes a clear
attitude of Old Man Warner that he believes in the lottery because it can make his village get a big harvest. However, their faith toward the lottery still do not change at all. They still believe in the lottery because they kill Mrs. Hutchinson anyway to gain their purpose.
After the analysis on the attitude of characters toward the lottery which is revealed from the plot has been done, the result of the analysis shows that
the characters’ attitude has several points that can be stated as reflection of
validity and applicability of the lottery is confined to the particular context or situations. The last attitude toward the lottery which can be pointed is the characters believe in the lottery can bring happiness to their village even if they have to kill the winner in the lottery as a denial to any rational thinking in the human situation.
C. The Idea of Postmodernism as seen through the Characters’ Attitudes
In Jackson’s “The Lottery”, there are different kinds of attitude which
were shown by all the characters in the story. The characters show that the lottery should be followed by all people in there. They never think what would happen to them. They only think that they will get a big harvest after doing the lottery even if they should sacrifice one of their people. This undergraduate thesis aims to
know the idea of postmodernism based on the attitudes’ of the characters toward
the lottery.
Postmodernism is used widely in many fields: arts, politics, philosophy, literature, music, pop culture, etc (Featherstone, 2001: 3-4). Postmodern literature is characterized by many things such as reliance on narrative techniques like paradox or fragmentation; the following are seen specifically in the Lottery. The characters in the story have their own attitudes toward the lottery. They follow the tradition which is far away from human logic. These attitudes lead us to what
postmodernist’s think. “Postmodernism emerged as the reaction against the
established forms of high modernism. The key point to the spirit of
35
Kaplan 1988:18). It is obvious that the attitudes’ from the characters is one of the
ideas of postmodernism. They do not think logical or use any reason to do the lottery. They seem to not care anymore about the reason behind the lottery.
Their faith toward the lottery as the attitude of the characters in the story also leads to the irony. Their attitudes show that they even do not know what would happen to them by doing the lottery. They still joke around and do their activity without any doubt. In fact, they also know that they will lose one of their neighbors even their family. In this case, there is a possibility that the attitudes
from the characters show the idea of postmodernism. Postmodernism “insists on
‘self-conscious, self-contradictory, self-undermining statement’. Since few people
trust their convictions or believe the world can change for better, irony is the only
option” (Ward, 2010:9). In the following part of analysis, the writer will give an
explanation on each of the ideas, and the discussion of choosing it as the point of postmodernism. Moreover there will be an explanation about how the characters’ attitudes reflect the idea of postmodernism.
1. The Rejection of Absolute Truth
The Characters’ attitude in the lottery believes that the lottery can bring a
big harvest to their village. The lottery as the tradition is the truth which is something that should be followed by all the villagers as can be seen in this quotation
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 older brothers or sisters. (Jackson, 1988:149)
As stated in that quotation, the children show that they believe in the lottery as the truth. They also see that the lottery should be done because they believe that it will bring a big harvest to the village even though they know that the lottery ends up with killing each other.
Like the children, all the parents also come to square to join the lottery. There are small talk about planting and rain, tractors and taxes.
Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed. (Jackson, 1988:149)
They still can joke around with other even though their jokes are quiet and only smile rather than laugh. In the other hand, Mrs. Hutchinson who comes late to the lottery seems really excited to do the lottery. As stated in the previous subject, her faithful toward the lottery makes her come to the square even though she comes late. Her faithful toward the lottery is based on the other people who gather around to the square to join the lottery. As mentioned before, all the villagers know that the lottery will end up with killing each other because the lottery will bring a big harvest. The lottery is the truth which is believed by all the characters in that story.
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that he shows his anger when some of the characters talk about giving up the lottery which happens in the other village. His faithful toward the lottery means that the lottery is the truth for all the people in that village. He is angry because there is a conversation about giving up the lottery. As a person who joins the lottery for seventy-seventh time, he does not believe in other tradition as the truth to solve the problem in that village.
The lottery is believed by all the characters in the story as a truth that can bring a big harvest. They agree to the fact that they should kill each other to fulfill the tradition. It can be seen in the quotation below
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 (Jackson, 1988:152-153)
It is clear to say that the lottery is the truth to solve the problem in that village because all the characters believe it will bring a big harvest to the village. Even Bill Hutchinson as the winner of the lottery does not try to refuse or fight it. What he does is warn her wife to stop and accept the fact. But it does not mean that Mrs. Hutchinson does not believe in the lottery, she only wants to restart the lottery for her families by taking her children to get their chance.
“There’s Don and Eva,” Mrs. Hutchinson yelled. “Make them take their
chance!” (Jackson, 1988:153).
