“The Lottery” and “The Most Dangerous Game”
Fiction: Essay

ENGL 102
Composition and Literature
Liberty University
Professor Rachel Downie
201540 Fall 2015 ENGL 102-D27

OUTLINE

I. Introduction:

a. Thesis Statement: Through scenery and characterization in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the violence in human nature is put to the test with what is right and what has become tradition.

II. The Scenery:

a. Scenery of lottery is so serene, peaceful, and beautiful compared to what is going to happen.
b. Compare scenery of “Most Dangerous Game” with “The Lottery”
c. Discuss how these two set the scene for two events that take place

III. Characterization:

a. Discuss the attitude of the village in “The Lottery”
b. Discuss the attitude of General Zaroff in “The Most Dangerous Game”
c. How these two attitudes go together and also go against each other

IV. Human Nature:

a. Human nature in “The Lottery”
b. Human nature in “The Most Dangerous Game”
c. Human nature in general

V. Conclusion:

a. Biblical Perspective of both stories
b. Final Thoughts

The cold wintery nights in contrast with the character Tiny Tim from “A Christmas Carol,” Nemo’s dad in contrast to the vast ocean and entirely too large of a world in the movie Finding Nemo, Adam and Eve in that radiant garden of Eden. All of these characterizations wildly contrast with its scenery respectively. In most cases, human nature is depicted as violent as compared to a peaceful and serene setting. In “The Lottery” and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Shirley Jackson and Richard Connell, respectively, human nature seems to be incredibly vicious and the setting of each story either opposes or forewarns the reader as to what is going to happen soon. Human nature in both of these stories yearns for what is to come and seem as though they are not going to change their ways. Through scenery and characterization in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the violence in human nature is put to the test with what is right and what has become tradition. The scenery in “The Lottery” is presented as calm and tranquil throughout the whole story. Jackson writes how it is a “clear and sunny day, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” The scenery contradicts what is going to happen that day, but sets the scene for a perfect day for a gathering in the middle of the village where the lottery winner would be executed. While in “The Lottery,” the scenery contrasted as to what was going to happen, “The Most Dangerous Game” had scenery that foreshadowed the reader as to what was lurking on Ship-Trap Island, or rather who was lurking. The story starts out with Rainsford “trying to peer through the dark tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.” This dark and eerie night, while trying to spot an island that sounds as though no ship should go near it, warns the reader that this story will take a shocking and unpleasant turn for the protagonist. In both of these stories, the scenery is important in order to contrast with the main events or climax of the plots to add suspense. The scenery also adds an element of surprise that would otherwise not be seen. While the scenery is important, characterization is equally as important in trying to understand the meaning behind these stories. The characterization of the village in “The Lottery” varies little from child to adult. Both know that something grave, and yet expected, is going to happen. While the laughing children quietly play and gather stones together, the adults “[stand] together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet, and they smiled rather than laughed.” The adults comprehended a little more what it means to be the winner of the lottery. The attitude also shows that they are set in their ways of tradition. Similarly in “The Most Dangerous Game,” the general has a very calm demeanor, which contradicts him hunting humans. His has a “cultivated voice marked by a slight accent” which would lead one to believe that he would not prefer to hunt his own species. He also “[smiles] the quiet smile of one who has faced an obstacle” and relishes the challenge. These two attitudes both go against the plot of the stories, where they lead the reader to think that there will not be an atrocious ending. Even though Rainsford escapes in the end, it is left up to the reader whether or not he will fall victim to committing murder himself. Both of these attitudes lead into human nature and how fierce it can really be. Human nature is violent inherently, when one is born. People must be taught right from wrong. Jackson depicts the village as following tradition, something they learned from when they were little, and killing the lottery winner without a second glance. Connell shows the violence in human nature by showing the general’s need to kill another human with the same intellect. There are numerous accounts in the Old Testament that can be compared to both stories, accounts of ritualistic sacrifice where the end result was death. Stoning was one of the oldest forms of execution and one of the most symbolic. There is a strong prevalence throughout the Bible; many of the original Christians were executed by stoning, and thus being representative of the innocent being put to death. These types of human sacrifice were believed to promise fertile crops, such as in “The Lottery”. There are comparisons between ancient human sacrifice and the sacrifice of Tessie Hutchinson in “The Lottery”. These ritualistic sacrifices were based on the worship of false gods. “The Most Dangerous Game” references the following and worship of a false god. When Zaroff says to Rainsford “sometimes an angry god of the high seas sends them to me”, this is in reference to Poseidon, god of the seas. This somewhat explains the brooding dark heart of Zaroff as a lost soul. In conclusion, both stories represent the distorted mind of accepting malevolent traditions, and the evil desires of one man’s heart to hunt his own kind. The practice of traditions which are commonly done simply because the human soul knows no other way, this is an example of human nature at its worst. From a Biblical perspective God’s Word instructs His people to; “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ”. Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

References:
Jackson, S. (1949). "The Lottery", Retrieved November 13, 2015, retrieved from https://sites.middlebury.edu/individualandthesociety/files/2010/09/jackson_lottery.pdf

Connell, R. (1990). “The Most Dangerous Game”, Retrieved November 13, 2015, retrieved from http://www.dukeofdefinition.com/dangerous_game.pdf