169 The Lottery Essay Topics & Questions for Analysis and Argumentative Papers

“The Lottery” is a chilling short story by Shirley Jackson.

Each year, the townspeople gather to hold a lottery. After winning the local lottery, the winners don’t receive any money. Instead, they are stoned to death. Shirley Jackson portrays the brutal and senseless violence lurking beneath the surface of an ordinary small town.

Continue reading this article to find various topic selections and essay prompts. And don’t forget about a bonus at the end: a writing guide for an essay on “The Lottery.”

⭐ Top 12 The Lottery Essay Topics

✏️ the lottery essay prompts.

  • 🤔 The Lottery Analysis Essay
  • 💡 The Lottery Argumentative Essay

❓ The Lottery Essay Questions

  • ✔️ Bonus Essay Topics
  • 📋 The Lottery Essay Outline

🔗 References

  • The role of tradition in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
  • The power of groupthink in “The Lottery.”
  • Symbolism and foreshadowing in “The Lottery.”
  • The use of irony in “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of the title in “The Lottery.”
  • The relationship between gender and violence in “The Lottery.”
  • The theme of blind obedience in “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of the black box in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of fear in “The Lottery.”
  • The importance of setting in “The Lottery.”
  • The theme of human nature in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of sacrifice in “The Lottery.”

The picture provides examples of topics for The Lottery essay.

Don’t know where to start your essay on “The Lottery”? The writing prompts below can help you find inspiration for your paper.

Symbolism in The Lottery: Essay Prompt

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” symbolism is significant in conveying the story’s themes and underlying messages. Discuss how it is used in the story. Explain how symbolism contributes to the overall meaning of the work.

Consider the following symbols: the black box, the stones, and the lottery itself.

  • What do these symbols represent?
  • How do they reflect the story’s central themes of tradition, violence, and conformity?
  • How does Jackson’s use of symbolism create tension and build toward the story’s shocking conclusion?

Use evidence from the text to support your analysis .

The Lottery Theme: Essay Prompt

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the author explores the theme of blind obedience.

In your essay, provide examples from the text that support this theme. You can use the story’s climax as an illustration. Describe how Tessie’s selection as the sacrificial victim highlights the consequences of mindlessly following authority.

You may also discuss how the story’s message can be applied to real-world situations. You could write about politics, religion, or social norms. Explain how it can serve as a warning to people who are led by society.

Setting of the Lottery: Essay Prompt

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the setting is essential to the story’s meaning. Analyze how it contributes to the overall theme and message.

  • Describe how the setting creates a sense of familiarity and unease for the reader. You can also define how it foreshadows the eventual violence and horror of the lottery.
  • Consider how the small-town atmosphere, with its traditions and social hierarchies, contributes to the theme. Discuss how the story’s setting reflects the period in which it was written. Write about the social pressures in post-World War II America.
  • Explain why the story’s setting resonates with contemporary readers and how it contributes to its impact.

Prompt for Compare and Contrast Essay on The Lottery and The Hunger Games

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games” explore the theme of ritualized violence. You can compare and contrast the portrayal of this theme in the two texts.

  • Consider the similarities and differences between how the societies in each story use ritualized violence.
  • Compare the protagonists of each story, Katniss Everdeen and Tessie Hutchinson. Describe how they respond to the violence in their respective societies.
  • Discuss how each story uses the theme of ritualized violence to comment on real-world issues, for instance, the effects of societal structures and power dynamics on individual agency.
  • Define which story offers a more effective critique of the dangers of ritualized violence in society.

🤔 Topics for The Lottery Analysis Essay

Below, we’ve selected the best Lottery essay topics for your literary analysis paper. Check them out to get inspired!

The Lottery Critical Analysis Essay: Topics

  • Symbolism in “The Lottery”: the deeper meaning behind the lottery process.
  • The theme of blind adherence to tradition in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of violence in “The Lottery” and its impact on the plot.
  • The social commentary on conformity and collective psychology in “The Lottery.”
  • Psychological effects of the lottery on the characters in Shirley Jackson’s story.
  • The role of fear and manipulation in “The Lottery.”
  • Analyzing the use of suspense and foreshadowing in the story.
  • The theme of sacrifice in “The Lottery” and its implications.
  • The concept of scapegoating in “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of the black box and its symbolism in “The Lottery.”
  • The portrayal of mob mentality and its consequences in “The Lottery.”
  • Evaluating the portrayal of community dynamics in the story.
  • The ethical implications of withholding information in “The Lottery.”
  • The use of irony and its purpose in “The Lottery.”
  • Analyzing the role of gender and power dynamics in “The Lottery.”
  • Comparing the lottery in “The Lottery” to real-world rituals and traditions.
  • The portrayal of power structures and hierarchies in “The Lottery.”
  • Analyzing the connection between tradition and progress in “The Lottery.”
  • Exploring the historical and cultural context of “The Lottery.”
  • The use of setting and atmosphere to enhance the narrative in “The Lottery.”

Topics for The Lottery Character Analysis Essay

  • Tessie Hutchinson’s transformation throughout “The Lottery.”
  • Old Man Warner: analyzing the role of tradition and fear in shaping his character.
  • Mr. Summers: examining the character’s influence and authority within the lottery process.
  • Understanding Bill Hutchinson’s motives and actions in relation to the lottery.
  • Mrs. Delacroix: analyzing her participation and reaction in the lottery drawing.
  • The impact of the lottery on children in the story.
  • Mr. Graves’s role as the lottery official and his attitude toward the event.
  • Mrs. Adams’s perspective and relationship with the lottery tradition.
  • The motivations and decision-making process of the Lottery Committee.
  • The Villagers: analyzing the collective mindset and conformity of the community.
  • Old Man Warner’s Grandchildren: the potential impact of the lottery on future generations.
  • Comparing and contrasting the characters’ reactions to the lottery.
  • The portrayal of female characters in “The Lottery” and their role in perpetuating the violence.
  • Gender roles and dynamics portrayed in the characters of “The Lottery.”
  • The symbolism associated with each character in “The Lottery.”
  • The characters’ moral and ethical dilemmas concerning the lottery.
  • The characters’ motivations for upholding or questioning the lottery tradition.
  • The impact of social pressure and conformity on the characters’ actions in the lottery.
  • Analyzing the characters’ perspectives on sacrifice in “The Lottery.”
  • Critiquing the absence of empathy and compassion in the characters of “The Lottery.”

The Lottery Literary Analysis Essay: Topics

  • The use of symbolism in shaping the characters and themes in “The Lottery.”
  • Exploring dramatic irony in the character interactions of “The Lottery.”
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: literary analysis .
  • The role of foreshadowing in developing suspense and tension in the story.
  • The use of setting to enhance the atmosphere and mood in “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of the black box as a central literary device in the story.
  • The use of irony in the characterizations and actions of the villagers.
  • Allegory in “The Lottery” and its impact on the interpretation of the characters.
  • The use of repetition and ritualistic language in the lottery process and its effect on the characters.
  • The contrast between appearance and reality through literary devices in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of allusion in deepening the meaning and implications of the characters’ actions.
  • The use of suspense and pacing to engage readers and heighten the character development.
  • Situational irony in the characters’ acceptance and participation in the lottery.
  • Symbolism of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
  • Dialogue as a literary device revealing the characters’ attitudes and beliefs in “The Lottery.”
  • The use of metaphor and simile in describing characters and their actions in “The Lottery.”
  • The impact of point of view as a narrative device in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of satire and irony in critiquing societal norms and the characters’ adherence to them in “The Lottery.”
  • The use of ambiguity and uncertainty in shaping the readers’ perceptions of the characters.
  • Irony and paradox in the characters’ motivations and decision-making.
  • The role of personification in “The Lottery.”
  • Cliffhangers and unresolved situations as the means of suspense in “The Lottery.”

💡 Topics for The Lottery Argumentative Essay

  • The portrayal of blind conformity in “The Lottery” as a critique of societal norms.
  • “The Lottery” as a powerful allegory for the dangers of tradition and ritualistic behavior.
  • The role of the black box in “The Lottery” as a symbol of oppression and control.
  • Critiquing the role of the individual in “The Lottery” and the consequences of collective action.
  • “The Lottery” as a commentary on the dangers of mob mentality and groupthink .
  • The lottery as an instrument of social control and manipulation in “The Lottery”.
  • Suspense and tension in “The Lottery” provoke thought and discussion.
  • The representation of sacrifice and its ethical implications in “The Lottery.”
  • The lottery as a reflection of the dark side of human nature in “The Lottery”.
  • The consequences of blindly upholding tradition and its relevance in “The Lottery.”
  • The theme of social inequality and discrimination in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of fear in perpetuating the lottery tradition in “The Lottery.”
  • Arguments for the abolishment of the lottery in the story.
  • The lottery as a representation of the human capacity for cruelty and violence.
  • The manipulation of fear and the maintenance of control in “The Lottery.”
  • The lottery as a reflection of societal values and priorities in “The Lottery”.
  • The lottery as a tool for social cohesion and unity in “The Lottery”.
  • The portrayal of dehumanization and the loss of individuality in “The Lottery.”
  • Critiquing the role of randomness and chance in the lottery drawing in the story.
  • The lottery as a symbol of fatalistic thinking and resignation to one’s fate.
  • The role of tradition in “The Lottery” and its resistance to change and progress.
  • Critically analyzing the villagers’ belief in the lottery and its justification.
  • The lottery as a reflection of the human desire for control and dominance.
  • The characters’ absence of agency and free will in “The Lottery.”
  • Critiquing the portrayal of community and its values in “The Lottery.”
  • The lottery as a commentary on the dangers of following traditions without questioning.
  • The portrayal of surprise and shock in “The Lottery” and its effects on the characters.
  • Lessons about collective responsibility and guilt learned from “The Lottery.”
  • The lottery as a reflection of the human tendency to participate in harmful practices.
  • The portrayal of sanity and madness in “The Lottery.”
  • Critically analyzing the representation of violence and its consequences in “The Lottery.”
  • The lottery as a metaphor for the injustices and cruelties in the real world.
  • Individual responsibility in a deterministic society as portrayed in “The Lottery.”
  • The relevance and significance of “The Lottery” in contemporary society.
  • The transformation of Bill Hutchinson’s character from a passive bystander to a victim.
  • How does “The Lottery” satirically critique blind adherence to tradition?
  • What role does symbolism play in “The Lottery,” and how does it enhance the story’s meaning?
  • Is the lottery ritual in the story a representation of mob mentality, and if so, how?
  • Does “The Lottery” effectively challenge the concept of a just and fair society?
  • How does Shirley Jackson use foreshadowing to build suspense in “The Lottery”?
  • What is the meaning of recurring references to food and feasting in the story?
  • Is there any significance to the selection of Tessie Hutchinson as the sacrifice in “The Lottery”?
  • In what ways does “The Lottery” explore the theme of conformity and its dangers?
  • Is the violence depicted in “The Lottery” necessary for the story’s impact, or could it have been portrayed differently?
  • What does the ending of “The Lottery” suggest about the human capacity for cruelty?
  • How does Shirley Jackson use irony to convey her message in “The Lottery”?
  • Is there any redeeming value to the lottery tradition portrayed in the story, or is it solely a negative portrayal?
  • Who can be the real audience of “The Lottery,” and how does it affect the understanding of the story?
  • Why does no one in the town openly resist the lottery?
  • Is “The Lottery” primarily a critique of societal norms or a commentary on human nature?
  • What commentary does “The Lottery” make about the arbitrary nature of violence in society?
  • Are there any sympathetic characters in “The Lottery,” or are they all complicit in the violent tradition?
  • What does “The Lottery” suggest about the cyclical nature of violence and oppression?
  • Does “The Lottery” serve as a critique of organized religion and its potential for harm?
  • How does the public nature of the lottery in the story influence the characters’ participation?
  • Is there any significance to the fact that the lottery tradition has been passed down through generations?
  • How does “The Lottery” challenge the notion of the inherent goodness of human beings?
  • Is “The Lottery” a commentary on the dehumanizing effects of a strict social hierarchy?
  • What is the significance of the date and time of year the lottery takes place in the story?
  • How does the fear of punishment influence the characters’ obedience to the lottery tradition?
  • Do the characters in “The Lottery” have any agency in their participation, or are they merely victims of tradition?
  • Is “The Lottery” an effective critique of the concept of luck and chance in society?
  • How does the portrayal of children in “The Lottery” contribute to the story’s tone and message?
  • What role do the women in “The Lottery” play in upholding the tradition and perpetuating the violence?
  • Is there a deeper meaning to the significance of the stones as the chosen method of execution in “The Lottery”?
  • What is the purpose and impact of the seemingly banal conversations and interactions among the characters in the story?
  • Does “The Lottery” explore the theme of sacrifice and its relevance to societal structures?
  • How does the use of a small-town setting in “The Lottery” contribute to the story’s overall impact?
  • Does “The Lottery” suggest that violence and oppression are inherent in human nature, or are they products of societal structures?
  • How does the character of Tessie Hutchinson challenge or conform to societal expectations in “The Lottery”?
  • Does “The Lottery” critique the role of gender in enforcing and perpetuating harmful societal traditions?
  • In what ways does “The Lottery” comment on the dangers of passivity and indifference in the face of injustice?
  • How does the portrayal of the lottery tradition in “The Lottery” relate to real-world rituals and customs?
  • How do the names of the characters, such as Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves, contribute to the story’s themes and symbolism?
  • Why did Jackson decide not to include details about the lottery’s origin and purpose?

✔️ Bonus Essay Topics for The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

  • The psychological impact of the lottery on the villagers in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
  • The historical context of “The Lottery” and its relevance today.
  • The paradoxical nature of community in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of Shirley Jackson’s legacy and her impact on modern horror literature through “The Lottery.”
  • The significance of the title “The Lottery” and its connection to fate.
  • The use of suspense and surprise endings in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
  • Shirley Jackson’s personal experiences and how they influenced “The Lottery.”
  • The role of tradition in shaping societal norms in “The Lottery” and its relevance today.
  • The significance of the date June 27th in “The Lottery.”
  • The portrayal of mental illness in “The Lottery” and its societal implications.
  • The role of education in challenging societal norms in “The Lottery.”
  • The portrayal of masculinity in “The Lottery” and its connection to power dynamics.
  • Shirley Jackson’s legacy and influence on modern literature.
  • The impact of “The Lottery” on the literary world and its reception at the time of publication.
  • The controversy surrounding “The Lottery” and its banning in certain schools and communities.
  • The portrayal of the elderly in “The Lottery” and their societal marginalization.
  • The theme of sacrifice and its connection to the American Dream in “The Lottery.”
  • The role of tradition and ritual in shaping modern society as explored in “The Lottery”.
  • The significance of the lottery as a form of entertainment in “The Lottery.”
  • The relevance of “The Lottery” in contemporary conformity and social pressure discussions.

📋 The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Essay Outline

Do you want to write an A+ essay about “The Lottery”? We’ve prepared a writing guide to help you with this task.

The Lottery Essay Introduction

Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention. To do so, you’ll need to start with a hook — it is a statement or question that captures the reader’s interest and makes them want to keep reading. Look at the example:

Hook: Imagine living in a small town where the annual tradition is choosing who would be stoned to death. Would you participate in such a ritual or rebel against it?

After that, you should provide some context for the topic. Background information helps the readers understand what the paper will be about. Here’s an example of how it might look:

Background information: First published in 1948, the story shocked readers with its portrayal of a seemingly idyllic community that engages in a horrific act of violence.

The last sentence of the introduction should be your thesis statement .

Thesis Statement for The Lottery

A thesis statement is a claim or argument that addresses the prompt or topic of an essay. It should be concise and debatable and provide a roadmap for the rest of the paper. A good thesis statement should also reflect the writer’s position. This sentence is supposed to guide the reader’s understanding of the essay’s main point.

Consider “The Lottery” thesis statement example:

Thesis statement: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson uses the brutal ritual of a small town’s annual lottery to criticize the dangers of blindly following tradition and highlight the inherent violence and cruelty thriving beneath seemingly peaceful communities.

Essay on The Lottery: Body Paragraphs

When writing body paragraphs, it’s important to focus on one main idea or argument per paragraph.

Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence . It should state the main point and link the paragraph to the previous one. Here’s an example:

Topic sentence: The use of foreshadowing in “The Lottery” creates a sense of unease and tension throughout the story.

A topic sentence is followed by supporting sentences . Each supporting sentence should provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back up the paragraph’s main idea. Use specific details from the story to support your claims and explain how they relate to your argument. Check out this example:

Supporting evidence: From the opening scene, where the villagers gather in the town square, there are hints of something ominous about to happen. The children are gathering stones, and the adults are murmuring uneasily.

The Lottery Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is the final section of an essay that summarizes the main arguments and closes the discussion. To write a good conclusion, restate the thesis statement and summarize the main points. Here’s an example of how a paraphrased thesis might look:

Restated thesis: Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” describes the violent tradition of an annual lottery in a small town to critique the ones conforming to traditions while also bringing attention to violence and brutality that may exist in places that look quiet at first sight.

To end a text, you should wrap up the discussion and provide closure for the reader. You can do it by offering a final thought, insight, or a call to action.

It’s important to avoid introducing new information or arguments in a conclusion. It can confuse or frustrate your audience. Instead, focus on bringing the discussion to a satisfying and meaningful end that leaves a lasting impression.

We hope our list of topics and writing guide have been helpful. You can also try our online topic generator to always have fresh ideas for your paper.

  • The Lottery: Themes | SparkNotes
  • Reading and Discussion Questions on Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” | Washington State University
  • Study Guide to Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” | Kansas State University
  • The Lottery Themes | Shmoop
  • Analysis of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson | ThoughtCo
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson | University of Hawaii
  • The Lottery Themes | eNotes
  • The Symbolism of Jackson’s “The Lottery” Explained | Interesting Literature
  • The Normalization of Violence in “The Lottery” | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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124 The Lottery Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

The lottery is a popular and controversial topic that has been explored in literature and media for decades. From short stories to novels, movies to TV shows, the concept of the lottery has been used to explore themes of luck, fate, and the darker side of human nature. If you're looking for inspiration for your next essay on the lottery, here are 124 topic ideas and examples to get you started.

  • Analyze the symbolism of the black box in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with other dystopian societies in literature.
  • Explore the role of tradition in maintaining the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of scapegoating in "The Lottery."
  • Examine the role of gender in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Investigate the role of the children in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the use of irony in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of conformity in "The Lottery."
  • Explore the theme of mob mentality in "The Lottery."
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with real-life lotteries.
  • Analyze the role of religion in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of tradition vs. progress in "The Lottery."
  • Examine the role of fear in maintaining the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Explore the theme of individual vs. community in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the role of the government in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of sacrifice in "The Lottery."
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with other rituals in different cultures.
  • Analyze the role of violence in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of power in "The Lottery."
  • Explore the theme of control in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the role of tradition in maintaining the lottery in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with other forms of entertainment.
  • Discuss the theme of chance in "The Lottery."
  • Examine the role of community in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the role of fear in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Explore the theme of rebellion in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of corruption in "The Lottery."
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with other forms of punishment.
  • Analyze the role of tradition in maintaining the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Examine the role of religion in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the role of power in the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of violence in "The Lottery."
  • Compare and contrast the lottery in "The Lottery" with other forms of social control.
  • Analyze the role of fear in maintaining the lottery in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of individual vs. community in "The Lottery."
  • Explore the theme of greed in "The Lottery."
  • Discuss the theme of fate in "The Lottery."
  • Analyze the role of chance in the lottery in "The Lottery."

Whether you're analyzing the symbolism of the black box or exploring the theme of conformity, there are countless ways to approach the topic of the lottery in your essay. Use these ideas as a starting point to craft a compelling and insightful analysis of this timeless and thought-prov

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129 The Lottery Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on the lottery, 🎓 interesting the lottery essay topics, 👍 good the lottery research topics & essay examples, 💡 simple the lottery essay ideas, 📌 easy the lottery essay topics, ❓ the lottery essay questions.

  • The Lottery Analysis: Essay on Shirley Jackson’s Short Story
  • Psychoanalytic Criticism of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • “Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: Marxist Criticism, Characters, Style, and Tone
  • Themes in the Story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • The Lottery Essay: Literary Analysis Example
  • Foreshadowing in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
  • Groupthink Notion in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Herd Behavior in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson This paper examines the theme, ironic symbolism, and setting in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and analyzes how the author applies them in the narration.
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: A More Positive Ending “The Lottery” is a famous short story by Shirley Jackson that embodies a great number of themes and encourages readers all over the world to take a critical look at traditions.
  • The Lottery Short Story: Personal Response Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a short story which reveals the dark side of human nature. It depicts the collective unconscious of the people of a village, of about three hundred people.
  • “The Lottery” by Jackson and “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Le Guin Analysis of the stories written by Jackson and Le Guin allows one to plunge into the seemingly perfect worlds, where everyone becomes a victim of artificially created morality, and find many common ideas.
  • “The Lottery” a Short Story by Shirley Jackson In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery”, the author chooses a third-person objective point of view to create an atmosphere of suspense and mystery.
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: A Story Analysis The rich exploit the poor to become more powerful and wealthy. In The Lottery story by Jackson, Mr. Summer is seen to entice the poor to play the lottery to gain more wealth.
  • Marxist Criticism in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson In “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson uses the contrast between the ruling class and the working class to illustrate her point about the fight for social change.
  • Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: Imagery, Foreshadowing, & Symbolism Shirley Jackson’s employment of detailed imagery, foreshadowing, and symbolism has contributed significantly to the masterful nature of “The Lottery.”
  • Conformity and Individualism in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” The paper’s thesis is that “The Lottery” and “Sonny’s Blues” stories reveal the theme of conformity vs. individualism and the universal nature of human suffering.
  • Democracy in The Lottery by Jackson Politics is an essential part of nowadays life. Politics are obligations of a state in regard to society and personality.
  • Tradition in “Everyday Use” by Walker and “The Lottery” by Jackson In Walker’s “Everyday Use”, the theme of tradition is highly defined by the single-family members. In Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the theme of tradition is used to show its brutality.
  • Traditions in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson “The Lottery” was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and contains many notable themes that are significant and relevant to discuss even today.
  • Analysis of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson The paper is designed to conduct a literary analysis of “The Lottery” short story by Shirley Jackson and interpret its symbolic meaning that remains relevant to this day.
  • Narration in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Jackson’s “The Lottery” raises a question of the significance of the story behind the text and requires an analysis, as the presented narration is open for interpretation.
  • Man vs. Society Conflict in ”The Lottery” by S. Jackson The purpose of this paper is to discuss the conflict in “The Lottery” by S. Jackson as that of man vs. society.
  • Narrative & Meaning in Jackson’s “The Lottery” The use of narrative techniques in “The Lottery” is a compelling force of preparing the audience to discern the meaning of the story.
  • “The Lottery” the Short Story by Shirley Jackson The Lottery is the most well-known publication of the author, which she published in 1948. This story portrays the life of a small suburban town in the United States.
  • Rural American Culture in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is a fictional narrative representing rural American culture. One of the most notable themes in the storyline is the power of tradition.
  • “The Lottery” the Story by Shirley Jackson In her short story “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson discusses numerous provocative themes in a controversial and indirect manner.
  • Analysis of Symbols in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is an impressive short novel that narrates the story of an intriguing but cruel tradition in a small village in the United States.
  • Dangers of Mob Mentality in ”The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Although the lottery is usually associated with a winner getting a grand prize, in the story, it is a process of selecting a victim for a ritual.
  • Gender Equality in Jackson’s “The Lottery” The issue of gender relationships has been widely discussed in the literature, and Jackson’s “The Lottery” is one of the strongest examples of the gender inequality problem.
  • Manipulation and Distorted Traditions: Analysis of “The Lottery” by Jackson This paper will analyze how the author integrates the elements common to lotteries in the settlement’s tradition to emphasize how easy it is to manipulate the opinion of the masses.
  • Themes of Humanism in Jackson’s “The Lottery” Story Jackson’s “The Lottery” story reveals the themes of humanism, female discrimination, and paganism, emphasizing the changes in human values, beliefs, and attitudes.
  • “The Lottery” by Jackson, and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by Lawrence In two short stories, “The Lottery” by Jackson and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by Lawrence, the philosophical conflict between luck and its consequences is clearly outlined.
  • Symbolism in The Lottery Story by Shirley Jackson The Lottery was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and contains many notable themes. The Lottery might be perceived as a short story that contains a considerable number of symbols.
  • Shirley Jackson “The Lottery”: Criticizing the Concept of Clinging to Traditions Without Understanding The real purpose of Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery” is to criticize the concept of clinging to traditions without understanding their origins or implications.
  • Aggression as a Theme in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson The work considers the story that compares commonplace details of current life with a barbaric ceremony known as the "lottery" from the book The Lottery and Other Stories.
  • The True Sense of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson “The Lottery” symbolizes a human psyche paradox between compassion and violence, which is embodied in the unfair treatment of the unlucky participant.
  • The Meaning of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson The story presents a fictional village that conducts the annual ritual “the lottery” on June 27 when the villagers gather together for this tradition.
  • Literary Analysis of Jackson’s “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson’s Lottery is one of the jewels of classic American literature of the twentieth century. This work made a massive contribution to the development of the genre of mysticism.
  • Development of the Setting in Shirley’s “The Lottery” and “The Rocking Horse Winner” by Lawrence: From Claustrophobic to Chaotic In “The Lottery” and “The Rocking Horse Winner,” the changes in the setting are defined not by the physical alterations in the environment but by the prism through which they are viewed.
  • Symbol in “The Lottery” Story by Shirley Jackson By using stones as the symbol of violence in “The Lottery,” Jackson represents the subject matter as a social phenomenon, the instances of which are difficult to overcome.
  • Crowd Impersonation in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Despite the fact that all the characters of Jackson’s “The Lottery” are vivid, great attention is paid to the crowd as a single organism yielding to common ideas and influence.
  • Themes of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Story “The Lottery” is famous for its scapegoat, other ideas baked into its very premises, such as tradition, and human nature, add to the atmosphere, creating a nuanced narrative.
  • Conformity in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” In the famous short story “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson implements various literary devices in order to confront the issue of conformity.
  • Similar Theme in “The Lottery” and “The Hunger Games” The lottery in the books “The Lottery” and “The Hunger Games” appears as a symbol designed to demonstrate the problems of outdated but still dominant traditions in societies.
  • The Lottery & The Rocking Horse Winner Compare & Contrast Essay Two authors, Shirley Jackson and David Herbert Lawrence in their short stories The Lottery and The Rocking Horse Winner explore the theme of the dangers of blindly following traditional or cultural norms.
  • Shirley Jackson’s Short Story “The Lottery” Literature Analysis Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a memorable short story that has been called a piece of gothic horror. It is also clearly a piece of social commentary.
  • Tradition in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” the author uses the pathological lottery system to symbolize the problems of traditions in modern society.
  • Literary Analysis of Jackson’s The Lottery Story In The Lottery, Jackson explores the fundamentals of human nature, questioning whether or not all individuals are capable of violence and cruelty.
  • “The Lottery” by Jackson vs. “Antigone” by Sophocles Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” describes a tradition in a small town where members draw lottery slips. Sophocles’s play “Antigone” follows one girl’s fight against authority.
  • Viciousness in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” illustrates the height of human potential to execute violence, although, it is depicted as ritual practices, tradition, and community order.
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”: Human Cruelty In “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson reflects on the boundaries and potential of human cruelty, using a stylistic and semantic opposition of the beginning and end of the storyline.
  • Greasy Lake, Lord of the Flies, and The Lottery: Compare & Contrast Human savagery is equally as much a weapon of mass destruction as anthrax, a nuclear weapon. Since the dawn of time, human nature has exuded a persistent vein of unwarranted violence and cruelty.
  • Condemnation & Violence in Jackson’s “The Lottery” Shields’s article “Arbitrary Condemnation and Sanctioned Violence in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” argues that the concept of capital punishment on a lottery basis is dangerous.
  • Analysis of “The Lottery” Story by Shirley Jackson This paper analyses the short story “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson. It tells about the lottery in a village, the result of which was the stoning of a “winner” to death.
  • The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Review Shirley Jackson gained a reputation as a literary witch. However, already in the “Lottery,” the talent for the depiction of the human soul was revealed.
  • Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery Review The Lottery, first published in 1948, remains to be one of the most-read stories in American literature. The story revolves around a small village in New England.
  • Analysis of “The Lottery” Story by Shirley Jackson The article argues that “The Lottery” demonstrates that despite the moral values people may have, society’s pressure and a sense of impunity can push them to any inhuman act.
  • Analysis of The Lottery, a Story about a Happy Winner The story was published in 1948 in The New Yorker. The population was still trying to recover from World War II, 1939-1945.
  • “The Lottery” and “The Destructors”: Conflict, Characterization and Irony The essay will discuss the main conflicts of “The Lottery” and “The Destructors” stories, their characterization, and themes.
  • The Preservation of Humanism Contrary to Tradition in Story “The Lottery” Jackson wrote a stunning contrast between the ordinary and usual quiet life of the village and the shocking tradition, which, however, by force of habit, takes its place.
  • Human Sacrifice vs. Ritual Murder in “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson
  • General Information About Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Inhumanity Exposed
  • Exploring How the Way Shirley Jackson Uses Symbolism in “The Lottery”
  • The Deadly Symbolic Presence of Mr. Graves in Shirley Jackson “The Lottery”
  • Feminism in “The Yellow Wallpaper”, and Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • Lucky Winner: Irony Shirley Jackson”The Lottery”
  • How Does “The Lottery” Explore the Theme of Tradition and Its Dangers
  • The Importance of Shirley Jackson’s Insights About Man and Society in “The Lottery”
  • How the Authors Bring Out the Theme of Class and Society in Anton Chekhov’s the Bet and Shirley Jackson’ “The Lottery”
  • Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’ and Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story’
  • The Link Between Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Obsolete Tradition
  • ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ Tradition in ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson
  • The Destructive Yet Blind Rituals of Mankind in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Message of Social Responsibility
  • The Irony, Symbolism, and “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson
  • The Lottery, Its Social Order and Male Superiority Issue
  • Similarities and Differences Between “The Lottery” and “Harrison Bergeron”
  • The Lottery, Exhibit Sadism and Arbitrary Brutality
  • The Importance of Marxist Criticism for Shirley Jacksons ‘The Lottery’
  • Similarities Involving Social Ritual and Ceremony in the Hunger Games and “The Lottery”
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” – Blind Obedience Exposed
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Aspects of Human Nature and the Desire for One to Suffer as Long as Everyday Life Continues
  • Normalizing Violence and Inhumanity: Shirley Jacksons “The Lottery”
  • Individual the Majority and Evil in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • How Does Shirley Jackson Build Up Suspense in the Short Story “The Lottery”
  • Issues With Government Depicted in Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • The Conflicts Between Male Authority and Female Resistance in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’: How Tradition Is Skewed
  • Symbolism and Genre Conventions of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Ursula Le Guin’s the Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
  • The Good and Bad of Human Nature in the Short Story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • The Human Dignity Motive in the Dystopian Societies in Short Stories “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and the Ones
  • Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
  • Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Joyce’s “The Dead”
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” – Evils of Society Exposed
  • Analysis and Psychological Aspects of the Short Story “The Lottery”
  • Sinister Symbols Within “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Comparing and Contrasting ‘The Lottery’ and ‘The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas’
  • Plot and Central Idea in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”: A Compare and Contrast Analysis of the Roles of the Men, Women, and Children
  • Individual, the Majority, and Evil in ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson
  • The Cruel and Weak Nature of Humans in the Short Story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Religious and Traditional Symbols in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Susan Glaspell’s a Jury of Her Peers: Theme and Gender Roles
  • What Is the Irony Found in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • How Does Marxist Literary Criticism Relate to Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”?
  • What Is the Purpose of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Themes Are Found in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Is the Main Conflict in Shirley Jackson’s Book “The Lottery”?
  • What Made “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson Stand Out From Earlier Stories?
  • What Are Some Questions You Can Raise After Reading “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Are Some Critical Interpretations of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • How Is the Short Story “The Lottery” Related to Shirley Jackson?
  • What Propaganda Devices Can You Relate to the Short Story “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Is the Significance of the Setting Found in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • Who Is the Speaker Talking To in the Story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • How Is the Climax Built in the Short Story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Is the Significance of the Number 21 in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”?
  • What Are Some Examples of Mob Mentality in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Are the Literary Devices Used in the Short Story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • What Is the Name for a Type of Experiment Such as the One Described in “The Lottery”?
  • What Are the Similarities and Differences Between “The Lottery” and “Dead Man’s Path”?
  • Why People Stand Up for Justice in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
  • How the Conflicts Between Male Authority and Female Resistance in Are Shown in “The Lottery”?
  • How Sacrificial Symbolism and Rules Are Imaged in “The Lottery”?
  • How Shirley Jackson Uses Imagery in “The Lottery”?
  • How Does Shirley Jackson Build Up Suspense in the Short Story “The Lottery”?
  • What Parts of the Short Story “The Lottery” Were Deleted From the Movie and Why?
  • Who Is the Most Important Character in “The Lottery”?

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 129 The Lottery Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/the-lottery-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "129 The Lottery Essay Topics." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/the-lottery-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "129 The Lottery Essay Topics." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/the-lottery-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on The Lottery were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on December 27, 2023 .

The Lottery: Essay Topics & Samples

The Lottery is one of those stories that can be interpreted in a million different ways. The author brings up many cultural, social, and even political issues for discussion. It is so controversial that the readers were sending hate mails to Jackson!

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Did you receive a writing assignment on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson? Have no idea where to start? Don’t panic! Sometimes you can find it hard to decide on one topic when there are so many options. This short story also has many Easter eggs to analyze. Custom-Writing.org experts created this list of the best ideas for the essay and The Lottery essay questions to help you out!

  • 💡 Essay Topics
  • ✒️ Essay Samples

💡 The Lottery: Essay Topics

Don’t know where to start your essay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson? Check out the prompts to help you write a successful paper!

  • Literary analysis essay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson . For this task, you would need to work through the main themes of the story . However, to make it easier, you might want to focus on one topic at a time. For instance, write about the role of tradition and how powerful it can be.
  • How are gender roles represented in the story? Look closer to how the roles are divided in this fictional society. There is violence against women, but it doesn’t seem like they are allowed to play victims. Can you catch a glimpse of sexism in some situations? You might as well draw some parallels with the real world.
  • How much do traditions affect our lives? The Lottery as an example . In this analysis essay on The Lottery , you are asked to elaborate on the central theme of the story. Shirley Jackson shows tradition to be so strong and powerful in this society that the rational mind can’t even bring others to reason.
  • Social classes in The Lottery . Are there any characters in the short story that may seem a bit more privileged than the others? All villagers seem to be in the same boat with equal rights. What about Mr. Summers? His name is on the list, and he draws with everybody else, but doesn’t he have more powers?
  • The psychology of the crowd in the short story . You are asked to write an argumentative essay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Look for some strong arguments to support the idea. However, there is no need to come up with complicated psychoanalytic theories. Focus on your personal opinion and add some quotes.
  • Hidden symbols in Shirley Jackson’s story . Here, it would help if you worked on literary analysis for a little bit. There are some apparent symbols, such as the black box and the stones. But how many more can you find? For example, look at the importance of households and write a symbolism essay on The Lottery .
  • Investigate the phenomenon of hypocrisy in The Lottery . The villagers can be friendly and kind to their neighbors before the ritual begins . However, as soon as they know the results, they immediately turn against “the winner.” Tessie seems like she would do the same, but when she appears to be the chosen one, it doesn’t please her at all.
  • Tessie Hutchinson as a scapegoat in The Lottery . What can make you think that the main character serves as a scapegoat for the villagers? She might not have a good reputation among them. What do you think drives them to stone her to death? Start a debate on this issue, and don’t forget to use our literature study guide!
  • The significance of names in Shirley Jackson’s story . You might have noticed the specifics of the main characters’ names. For instance, Mr. Summers fits perfectly in the setting of a beautiful summer day. Mr. Delacroix, in his turn, carries some hidden religious meaning if you look up the translation. Can you find any other meaningful names?
  • What is the central message of The Lottery ? You might have thought about it after reading the summary of the short story. Well, there is no specific answer because everything depends on your perspective. It may concern social or political issues or whatever you prefer. It is what makes your essay so unique, isn’t it?

✒️ The Lottery: Essay Samples

Below you’ll find a collection of The Lottery essay examples. You are welcome to use them for inspiration!

  • Point of View in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • The Lottery Analysis: Essay on Shirley Jackson’s Short Story
  • The Lottery: Literary Analysis
  • Groupthink Notion in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Gothic Horror in “The Lottery”
  • Foreshadowing in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
  • Crowd Impersonation in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  • Gender Equality in Jackson’s “The Lottery”
  • Herd Behavior in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
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The Lottery Study Guide

On a warm sunny day, all the villagers gathered to kill their randomly chosen neighbor. They had repeated this ritual for many ages. What forced them to be so cold-hearted and narrow-minded? Why did the first readers of the short story get insulted with the plot? What does Shirley Jackson...

Summary of The Lottery

A short summary of The Lottery comes down to a description of a pretty violent tradition of one community. Despite a quite optimistic and positive beginning, the reader will soon find out that something feels off about it. The community uses the lottery to pick one person for a sacrifice....

The Lottery: Characters

This article by Custom-Writing.org experts contains all the information about the characters in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Tessie Hutchinson, Bill Hutchinson, Mr. Summers, Old Man Warner, and others. In the first section, you’ll find The Lottery character map. 🗺️ The Lottery: Character Map Below you’ll find a character map...

The Lottery: Analysis

What do the stones symbolize in The Lottery? What about the black box? What is its main theme? There are so many questions to attend to about this story, so this article by Custom-Writing.org experts is here to help you out! Apart from discussing the symbolism in The Lottery, we...

The Necklace Study Guide

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is a short story, which focuses on the differences between appearance and reality. Here, we’ll talk more about the story, plot, the central conflict, characters, themes, and symbols. In The Necklace study guide, you will also learn about the genre and the author’s message....

The Necklace: Essay Topics and Samples

Writing an essay can be a challenge, even from the very beginning. Coming up with an eye-catching and exciting idea might be a bit of a process. Therefore, we have prepared a list of topics on The Necklace to choose from. Also, you can find essay samples and take a...

The Necklace: Symbolism

The Necklace is one of the most famous short stories that talks about a woman whose dreams of wealth got shattered. The author Guy De Maupassant uses several literary devices, such as metaphors or symbolism, to enhance the reader’s perception. So, what does the necklace symbolize in The Necklace? What...

The Necklace: Themes

The Necklace is a sensational story with an unexpected twist in the end. In the article, we will discuss theme of The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant. The literary analysis will show their importance for a better understanding of the story. The Necklace themes include Appearance vs. Reality and Greed....

The Necklace: Characters

The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant is an astonishing short story capturing readers’ attention with its realistic plot and an unexpected twist in the end. This article will focus on describing The Necklace’s main characters. So, who is the protagonist in The Necklace? Keep reading to find out more about...

The Necklace: Summary & Analysis

The Necklace (French: La Parure) is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant in 1884. The story became an instant success, as most of the other works written by Guy de Maupassant. In the article, you’ll see its brief summary and analysis. The Necklace: Summary The Necklace by Guy...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Study Guide

Welcome to the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight study guide! Here, you will find all the essential information about the poem’s plot and genre. You will also learn about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight story’s characters, themes, and symbols. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Key Facts Full...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Essay Topics & Samples

Assigned to write an essay about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, you may face difficulties coming up with a good topic. This page can help you with that. Here you will find some of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight essay topics, prompts & samples. Essay Topics Language and...

The Lottery Essays

The lottery literary analysis.

Introduction Shirley Jackson’s piece “The Lottery” immerses itself in the theme of ritual. A short story is generally judged on its ability to convey the…

The Lottery: Symbolism

Introduction Symbolism is a stylistic device often used in literary works. It means that the author takes an object, character or event to reveal a…

Similarities and Differences Between The Lottery and The Hunger Games

 When traditions are obsolete, society is adversely impacted. The Lottery and The Hunger Games are two insightful texts that reveal the adverse effects of blindly…

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Original Essay On The Lottery

The Lottery is a fictional short story authored by Shirley Jackson. It is a horrific tale about a small community in England where people are chosen by chance and stoned to death. It is a controversial event that happens every year, where the winner is selected randomly and executed. The Lottery depicts the theme of tradition, inhumanity, and brutality existing in society. It also brings out the role of a husband in the family and community, as shown through Mr. Summers’ character.

Despite raising contentious discussions in literary circles, the book is famous in the literary history of America. Many colleges and universities in the United States have adopted it in their reading lists. Hence, learners usually get The Lottery essay assignments to analyze different topics.

Many students experience challenges because such essays require deep analysis to uncover the themes and understand the irony and symbols used in the story. Thus, you can use The Lottery essay sample in our database and make your writing easy and professional.

The Lottery By Shirley Jackson Essay: Why Our Database is the Best

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The Lottery

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How does the author create a feeling of suspense or dread? Give examples.

The Lottery offended many readers on its first publication. Explain why the story was controversial. Do you agree? If yes, explain why. If not, defend the story with a rebuttal . 

Little Davy Hutchinson receives a small handful of stones . Why? Given the purpose of the lottery, was this a proper thing to do? Defend your view. 

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Common App announces 2024–2025 Common App essay prompts

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We are happy to announce that the Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2024–2025.

Our decision to keep these prompts unchanged is supported by past research showing that overall satisfaction with the prompts exceeded 95% across our constituent groups - students, counselors, advisors, teachers, and member colleges. Moving forward, we want to learn more about who is choosing certain prompts to see if there are any noteworthy differences among student populations and incorporate feedback into future decisions.

While some schools are beginning discussions with juniors and transfer students about college options, it's important to clarify that this doesn't mean students need to start writing their essays right away. By releasing the prompts early, we hope to give students ample time for reflection and brainstorming. As you guide students with their planning, feel free to use our Common App Ready essay writing resource, available in both English and Spanish .

For students who wish to start exploring the application process, creating a Common App account before August 1 ensures that all their responses, including their personal essays, will be retained through account rollover .

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2024–2025.

  • Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
  • Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  • Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will retain the optional community disruption question within the Writing section. Over the next year, we'll consult with our member, counselor, and student advisory committees to ensure we gather diverse perspectives and make informed decisions.

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On Soccer With Rory Smith

Why don’t more people resent manchester city.

Out of the Champions League but on top of the Premier League, Manchester City shows that it takes more than trophies to make a villain.

Trophies adorned with blue and white ribbons lined up on small podiums on a soccer field.

By Rory Smith

Reporting from Manchester, England

Silence swept from one end of the Etihad Stadium to the other, a wave of dawning realization. The background noise that a crowd cannot help but generate — the rumble and murmur of 20,000 separate conversations — fell away. Calculations were made. Conclusions were drawn.

For most of Wednesday evening, the natural operating assumption was that Manchester City would advance past Real Madrid and reach yet another Champions League semifinal. Pep Guardiola’s City team was creating so many chances that victory felt, really, like a statistical inevitability. Even as the tied game ticked into extra time, the match felt strangely nerveless. City went close with a chance again. No matter. The next one would be along soon.

The idea that any other ending was available did not seem to have occurred to anyone, right up to the point when Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic missed their penalties in quick succession, and all of a sudden City found itself on the brink. The possibility of elimination had felt so far-fetched that its arrival almost came as a surprise.

A moment later, Antonio Rüdiger was hurling himself, topless, into a morass of delirious Real Madrid fans. Jude Bellingham was leading chants in his second language. And Guardiola’s hopes of retaining the Champions League trophy had been dashed. He stood in the center circle, looking just a little lost. “What more could we have done?” he would ask later.

It has felt for a while as if Manchester City has achieved so much, so fast, that it has had to start inventing challenges to meet. Can Guardiola win titles without a striker? Yes. What about with central defenders who are actually midfielders? Also yes. Can he craft a team capable of collecting 100 points, or winning every domestic trophy, or doing a treble? Yes, yes, yes.

The grand ambition for this season was the inevitable next step. City, it turned out, was pursuing the double treble , a phrase that does not appear to have entered soccer’s lexicon before this year. That, alas, is now over. City may have to make do instead with the bitter solace of becoming the first team in history to win the English title four years in a row. Oh, and winning the F.A. Cup.

This, of course, is precisely what City’s owners in Abu Dhabi set out to do when they first invested in the club 16 years ago. The aim was always to create a team so successful, so polished and so flawless that merely winning English soccer’s once fabled double would come to be seen as something of an anticlimax.

And yet, right from the start, it was also possible to wonder if there had been a bit of a misunderstanding. The reward for that sort of dominance in soccer is not universal applause and widespread affection. Yes, of course, winning more trophies means winning more fans. But it also, traditionally, means making more enemies.

That, certainly, is the experience of English soccer’s previous superpowers. Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all owe their global fan bases to historical periods of dominance, but they can trace the enmity they inspire in almost everyone else to much the same thing. It was worth it for them, of course; their global ambitions extended no further than selling jerseys.

City’s benefactors, on the other hand, had a rather more complex set of motivations. Abu Dhabi did not buy the club because Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan was just really into soccer. It was a marketing play, a real estate play, an economic play, a mechanism to win global influence.

But it all rested, to a greater or lesser extent, on City’s winning. Mediocrity does not attract investors to your diversified economy or counteract suggestions that your human rights record might be suboptimal. There are no hearts and minds in 12th place. The Manchester City project would only work if the club became a beacon of excellence.

That is, of course, precisely what has happened. Abu Dhabi has spent lavishly on players, infrastructure and executives. (During the penalty shootout on Wednesday, City’s coaching staff and substitutes lined up on the sideline in solidarity: There were 40 of them.)

City’s ownership group has overturned every convention, disregarded every cost, pushed every boundary . (It has also not always been especially concerned with following the rules, the Premier League has charged .) It has built a globe-spanning, multiclub network. It hired Guardiola, the standout coach of his generation, and transformed the club to his exact specifications.

It has worked. City, as its own club-approved slogan goes, is the “best team in the land and all of the world.” It has the trophies to prove it. But, curiously, it does not have the hatred. For a hegemon, City does not seem to inspire much animosity. There is certainly no equivalent to the Anyone But United movement that was briefly, and admittedly a little bitterly, popular around the turn of the century.

The kindest explanation for this is that the style of play inculcated by Guardiola is so smooth, inventive and captivating that it is impossible to dislike. Leaving aside that this greatly overestimates the amount of rationality in soccer, it does not ring true: Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United teams also played thrilling soccer. And everyone hated them.

More convincing is the idea that, perhaps subconsciously, fans of all but City’s direct rivals understand that the club is not subject to the same rules as everyone else.

Not in the sense that City will at some point have to disprove the 115 charges of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules that have hung over it for more than a year, but in the sense that it is somehow unlike other clubs: clean and smooth, designed with scientific precision and functionally bottomless resources. City exists in a world apart .

This sentiment was captured perfectly by Dario Minden, a spokesman for Unsere Kurve, a sort of umbrella group for Germany’s organized fans, as he tried to explain why — in a way — it was almost better for Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga , rather than anyone else.

Bayern also has a colossal financial edge, of course. It, too, seems to German fans to be a different animal compared with everyone else. “If Bayern wins it,” Minden, an Eintracht Frankfurt fan, said, “it is almost like nobody does.” The success of a direct rival, of a comparable peer, can sting, but there is no point in wondering why the lottery winner has a nicer house than you do.

Even this understanding, though, feels as though it might be incomplete. Last week, Barney Ronay suggested in The Guardian that the feats of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had changed the standard by which we judge players. So consistent is their excellence, he wrote, that a single bad game is enough to subject their successors to charges of being frauds.

City, perhaps, has similarly changed the way we judge clubs. Guardiola’s team has not lost any of its last 28 games. (Defeat on penalties, spiritually if not technically, does not count.) Rodri, its central midfielder, has not lost a game in City colors in more than a year. Neither of these things are normal.

But Guardiola and his players have made such a habit of these sorts of feats that, like Messi and Ronaldo, they have shifted our expectations of what it takes to win a championship, of what it means to be “good.” In doing so, they have changed — raised — the standard to which everyone else is held.

And so when Arsenal or Liverpool or whoever else falls short, the focus tends to be on their supposed flaws, rather than the unassailability of City’s position. There is no chance to foster a new hatred — not when there are old ones to sustain.

Over the next few weeks, in spite of the defeat to Real Madrid, Manchester City will most likely record yet another double, claim yet another piece of history, set yet another high bar. Its fans will understandably celebrate, and the fans of its vanquished opponents will mourn. For the majority, though, it would seem that the wave of realization is yet to break.

The Select Few

And so, finally, the tournament the world has been waiting for begins to take shape . No, not that one . Nor that one . This one is the expanded FIFA Club World Cup that is set to be held, like all other major soccer tournaments, in the United States in 2025.

Strictly speaking, as a journalist in his early 40s, I should be vehemently opposed to the concept of an expanded FIFA Club World Cup. The fact that the idea for it came from Gianni Infantino, for example, is generally a red flag. And there is one very obvious problem with it: The vast sums of money the tournament is expected to generate for the 24 teams taking part seems like the sort of windfall that might hugely distort domestic tournaments, particularly in Asia, Africa and South America.

Despite those things, I remain basically agnostic. Giving more teams from outside Europe the chance to meet teams from Europe — and yes, rewarding them financially — is a positive step. It may help teams like Palmeiras, one of the confirmed South American participants, keep its players from the clutches of Europe for a little while longer, and that is A Good Thing.

Even then, though, the list of European participants seems slightly, well, strange. They have been selected, according to FIFA’s criteria, based on their European performances over the last four years. A maximum of two teams is allowed per nation.

This makes sense in theory, but it means that Juventus, currently very much not one of the two best teams in Serie A, will be one of Italy’s representatives, and Chelsea, which has spent most of the last two years being a punchline, will stand tall on behalf of the Premier League. F.C. Porto and Benfica are both there, too, which feels like it maybe overweighs the status of Portuguese soccer.

Any new tournament needs immediate legitimacy to survive. One that aspires to crown a world champion must, by definition, feel exclusive and select — an accurate reflection of the balance of power in soccer over the last four years. And, with all due respect, the prospect of this Chelsea meeting this Juventus in a quarterfinal next summer really does not.

Admirable Honesty

Ilkay Gundogan could have cried foul, like everyone else. He could have blamed the referee. He could have raised an eyebrow and intimated that Barcelona had been eliminated from the Champions League by some nefarious coalition of dark forces. That sort of rhetoric, after all, has emerged so frequently from the club in recent years that you can only assume it is part of its media training.

Instead, Gundogan turned his ire on his teammates. He did not name names, of course, but he made it clear that he thought Ronald Araújo had only himself to blame for being sent off against Paris St.-Germain on Tuesday; that João Cancelo had been foolish for conceding a needlessly cheap penalty; and that whoever was supposed to stop Vitinha from having 20 yards of grass and about five minutes to pick his spot before his tide-turning goal might have done a better job of that.

Players, managers and executives — and everyone else involved in soccer — take the easy route far too often. They seek excuses and hunt for scapegoats. (The fact that blame has ordinarily been laid on the referee has been a major factor in creating the toxic environment in which officials now work.) Ultimately, it is all unbecoming of professional athletes. It is your performance. Own it. Admit your mistakes, acknowledge you could do better, try harder. It is, as Gundogan proved, intensely refreshing when you do.

Rory Smith is a global sports correspondent, based in the north of England. He also writes the “ On Soccer With Rory Smith ” newsletter. More about Rory Smith

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Here Comes Padel: The sport is played with a racket on a court with a net, but watch out for those bouncing shots from the back wall. Reporters take a look at the padel scene in New York City .

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Lottery — The Analysis of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”

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The Analysis of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"

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Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 961 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Literary elements, themes and symbolism, literary analysis techniques, b. characters, a. theme of tradition and ritual, b. theme of violence and cruelty, c. theme of conformity and peer pressure, a. foreshadowing.

  • Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." The New Yorker, 1948, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1948/06/26/the-lottery.
  • Salvaggio, Ruth. "The Lottery." Masterplots, 4th Edition, 2010. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mih&AN=20104763&site=eds-live&scope=site.
  • Baxter, Karen. "Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery': A Critically Annotated Bibliography." BiblioVault, 2007.

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essay titles about lottery

L.A.-area crew stole more than $250K in lottery scratchers from 7-Eleven stores, LASD says

Investigators believe the same crew committed 44 robberies over a period of two months.

KABC logo

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies recently arrested members of a robbery crew that specializes in stealing scratcher tickets from 7-Eleven convenience stores.

Investigators believe the same crew committed 44 robberies over a period of two months, stealing California Lottery scratcher tickets and other items with a retail value totaling more than $250,000.

They allegedly redeemed more than $90,000 from the stolen lottery scratcher tickets.

In surveillance video released to the public, two members of the crew are seen entering a 7-Eleven, with one hopping the counter and grabbing trays full of tickets and handing it to the other member before they bolted from the store - all within a matter of seconds.

As detectives were investigating the case, they say they caught the crew red-handed, robbing another 7-Eleven store of more than $3,000 in scratcher tickets.

Three adults and one juvenile were arrested and booked on robbery charges. The adults were being held on $100,000 bail and the teen was detained in a juvenile facility. The names of the suspects were not immediately released.

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“My husband is usually the one who buys scratch-off tickets, but I decided to stop and buy one on my way to pick up pizza,” the 41-year-old anonymous player said in a news release .

The woman told lottery officials she sat in her car at scratched the ticket while waiting for her pizza.

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The lucky player chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $1.3 million. She plans to use her winnings to pay bills and take a vacation.

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“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions Essay

The lottery is a story written by Shirley Jackson, who presents a different view of a lottery. Mr. Summers Jackson’s main character is the orchestrator of the lottery picking, and he chooses the winner by the draw of a paper. There are a series of other events that happen that day, such as square dancing, teen clubs, and a Halloween program, all run by Mr. Summers. The plot twist of the story is that the lottery winner is stoned to death in hopes of creating and having more crops for others. Published in the mid-nineteen hundreds, Jackson expresses the importance of questioning traditions, the vulnerability of the individual, and the relationship between civilization and violence.

The short story depicts the evil nature of humans in a manner that is thought-provoking and shocking. Over the years since its publishing, it has been studied, reviewed, and analyzed by hundreds of scholars and thousands of students. Nevertheless, the opinions on the piece appear to differ largely depending on the perspective. According to Ferri, there is a big chance that the story, which is now a part of a collection, is being misread by most. The message of the story, as analyzed by many, ignores the fact that the stories in the anthology are linked together by their recurring main character, James Harris. Jackson weaves the “daily evil” into every one of her stories using this character, who at times remains unnamed, and yet his presence is inevitable (Ferri). The nature of the story creates a seemingly unsuspecting atmosphere that turns into evil at the very end. The author uses light metaphors, symbolic names, and other literary tools throughout the story to portray evil in its mundane and daily form, seen in ordinary humans.

Ferri, Jessica. “You’re Probably Misreading ‘The Lottery.’” The Daily Beast.

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IvyPanda. (2022, December 16). “The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lottery-plot-main-themes-and-opinions/

"“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions." IvyPanda , 16 Dec. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-lottery-plot-main-themes-and-opinions/.

IvyPanda . (2022) '“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions'. 16 December.

IvyPanda . 2022. "“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lottery-plot-main-themes-and-opinions/.

1. IvyPanda . "“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lottery-plot-main-themes-and-opinions/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "“The Lottery”: Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-lottery-plot-main-themes-and-opinions/.

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    The Lottery Essay Body. The next step in essay writing is mastering the body of the paper. Here you must provide your ideas and arguments to support main issue of an essay. Remember a simple rule: one argument - one paragraph. Don't make your paper look like a stream of consciousness. The Lottery Essay Conclusion.

  2. 169 The Lottery Essay Topics & Questions for Analysis and Argumentative

    🤔 Topics for The Lottery Analysis Essay Our Experts can deliver a custom essay for a mere 11.00 9.35/page Learn more. Below, we've selected the best Lottery essay topics for your literary analysis paper. Check them out to get inspired! The Lottery Critical Analysis Essay: Topics

  3. 124 The Lottery Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    124 The Lottery Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. The lottery is a popular and controversial topic that has been explored in literature and media for decades. From short stories to novels, movies to TV shows, the concept of the lottery has been used to explore themes of luck, fate, and the darker side of human nature.

  4. 129 The Lottery Essay Topics & Research Titles at StudyCorgi

    Conformity and Individualism in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues". The paper's thesis is that "The Lottery" and "Sonny's Blues" stories reveal the theme of conformity vs. individualism and the universal nature of human suffering. Traditions in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.

  5. Shirley Jackson's The Lottery: Essay Topics & Samples

    💡 The Lottery: Essay Topics. Don't know where to start your essay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson? Check out the prompts to help you write a successful paper! Literary analysis essay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.For this task, you would need to work through the main themes of the story.However, to make it easier, you might want to focus on one topic at a time.

  6. "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Essay (Critical Writing)

    The Lottery i s a 1948 story written by Shirley Jackson. The story is about a small town in the United States that maintains a lottery tradition every year. One resident of this town is chosen randomly by drawing lots, and the rest throw stones at him (Jackson). The first publication of this work caused a broad resonance among readers.

  7. The Lottery Literary Analysis

    The Lottery literary analysis essay discusses the dangers of blindly following tradition and the need to question and critically evaluate social norms. It is an important summary of the destructive nature of blindly following rules. The Lottery analysis essay also explores the theme of tradition and its impact on society.

  8. "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

    The Lottery, a 1948 short story by Shirley Jackson, developed the themes of adherence to meaningless traditions, parenting and scapegoating.The broad aftermath and the negative responses of the readers who did not see the line between fiction and reality prove that the plot of the short story The Lottery by Jackson reflects the real problems of the modern community.

  9. The Lottery Essay Examples

    Hence, learners usually get The Lottery essay assignments to analyze different topics. Many students experience challenges because such essays require deep analysis to uncover the themes and understand the irony and symbols used in the story. Thus, you can use The Lottery essay sample in our database and make your writing easy and professional.

  10. The Lottery Essay Topics

    Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

  11. The Lottery Jackson, Shirley

    SOURCE: "Shirley Jackson, 'The Lottery': Comment," in Modern Short Stories: A Critical Anthology, edited by Robert B. Heilman, Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1950, pp. 384-85. [ Heilman is an English ...

  12. Literary Analysis: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

    The short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson discusses several issues affecting people in modern society. The story examines a small village of about three hundred people who gather in a town to participate in a lottery exercise — of being sacrificed to bring good to the community. Residents in some towns already abandoned this ...

  13. ≡Essays on The Lottery. Free Examples of Research Paper Topics, Titles

    Comparing the portrayal of ritual and tradition in "The Lottery" to other literary works. An exploration of the story's connection to other works by Shirley Jackson. Comparing "The Lottery" to other stories with shocking plot twists. With these recommended essay topics, you're sure to find the perfect subject for your "The Lottery" essay.

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    Published: Dec 3, 2020. 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson is an account of an irregular town trapped in a snare of continually following custom, in any event, when it isn't to their greatest advantage. Jackson utilizes images all through the story that identify with the general topic.

  15. Shirley Jackson's The Lottery: [Essay Example], 941 words

    Published: Jul 27, 2018. Shirley Jackson's 1948 short story 'The Lottery' is an exploration of what it means to belong, or not belong, to a culture and set of traditions. Jackson sets the scene comfortably, describing a traditional little village from the 1920s to the 1940s, where everyone knows everyone, children play together, women and ...

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    The Lottery. The Lottery is a classic short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in 1948. This timeless piece of literature has become one of the most widely studied works of modern fiction, with its themes still resonating today. In it, an ordinary small town holds an annual lottery where members of the community draw slips to determine ...

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    Lottery and Games Comparing and. PAGES 4 WORDS 1334. " Katniss also represents a girl who is coming of age. In this sense, the film could be called a bildungsroman, which is a genre that is completely opposite of "The Lottery." "The Lottery" is sheer over-the-top satire. The Hunger Games does not set out to ridicule and poke fun at human nature ...

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    The lottery box represents death and old tradition because of the vivid description of the box and the villagers' reaction when they have to pick out of the box. As Mr. Summers brings the box and sets it on the stool, "The villagers kept their distance, leaving space between them and the stool"(Jackson 2).

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    The Lottery Essay. beginning of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," the village congregates in the square on the "clear and sunny" (247) midsummer day of June 27th. The children are out of school, the flowers are blooming, and the grass is a vibrant green. Ursula K. Le Guin's short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From ...

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  23. The Analysis of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery": [Essay Example], 961

    Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" is a short story that has become a classic in American literature due to its portrayal of the dark aspects of human nature. In this essay, I will analyze the literary elements, themes, and symbolism in the story, as well as the literary techniques utilized by Jackson to enhance the meaning and impact of her work.

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    The quote "The morning of June 27th…" informs the audience of the Lottery's time and date (Shirley, 2014, p. 136). The time range for the Lottery is also revealed in the story. The narrative also provides the Lottery's time frame: "…so it may start at ten o'clock in the morning… allow the locals to return home in time for ...

  27. Lucky wife picking up pizza returns home a millionaire after ...

    MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (Gray News) - A woman in Michigan who doesn't normally buy scratch-off lottery tickets went to pick up a pizza and returned home a millionaire after deciding to test her ...

  28. Uri Berliner, NPR Editor Who Publicly Criticized Coverage, Resigns

    The NPR editor's critical essay and subsequent resignation are the latest signs of a management challenge that several major newsrooms are dealing with: staffers who go public with concerns ...

  29. "The Lottery": Plot, Main Themes, and Opinions Essay

    The lottery is a story written by Shirley Jackson, who presents a different view of a lottery. Mr. Summers Jackson's main character is the orchestrator of the lottery picking, and he chooses the winner by the draw of a paper. There are a series of other events that happen that day, such as square dancing, teen clubs, and a Halloween program ...

  30. Hear what Trump said minutes after jury was seated in hush money ...

    CNN's Daniel Dale fact-checks remarks former President Donald Trump made outside court minutes after a full jury has been seated in his New York hush money case, paving the way for the trial to ...