MODULE 2 – LESSON 3 thought the idea had merit.
FEELING FOR OTHERS
I. “THE LOTTERY”
1. Characters:
o Mr. Summers – a round – faced jovial man who ran the coal
business
o Mr. Graves – the postmaster
o Old Man Warner – the oldest man in town
o Bill Hutchinson – he got the piece of paper with the black spot on
it
o Hutchinson Family
 Tessie and Bill
 three children: Bill, Jr., Nancy, and Dave (only a toddler)
2. Setting
o Time – Summer /June
o Place – village
- In the square between the post office and the bank
3. Summary
■ The short story takes place a few hundred years ago on June 27 in a
small town. The townspeople start the day as they normally would,
but then at 10:00 all the residents had to report to the town square.
Mr. Summers led the process together with Mr. Graves.
■ He brought with him a black wooden box with small pieces of paper
inside of it. His first order of business was to take role and make sure
he knew who was the head of each family and which members could
not attend.
■ Mrs. Hutchinson arrived after he had been sworn in, declaring that
she had forgotten what day it was to the amusement of those people
who heard her.
■ If the head male of the family were deceased or incapable of coming
as in Clyde Dunbar's case due to a broken leg, then a son over the
age of sixteen could stand in or the wife would have to pick for the
family.
■ As Mr. Summers called each family name, the representative would
come forward and pick a piece of paper from the box without looking
at it. While this process went on, some of the townspeople talked
about how the north village was talking about giving up the lottery
process.
■ When Old Man Warner drew his slip, he declared it was his seventy-
seventh time participating in the lottery. The last few people took
their slips before everyone opened them. The crowd looked around
wondering which family had the piece of paper with the black spot on
it.
■ It was Bill Hutchinson. Mrs. Dunbar told her oldest son to run and
tell the news to his dad back at home.
■ Tessie Hutchinson immediately becomes defensive, saying her
husband didn't have enough time, and it wasn't fair, but those
around her encouraged her to calm down, including her husband
who told her to shut her mouth. Then Mr. Summers focused in on the
members of the Hutchinson family, which included Tessie and Bill
along with their three children: Bill, Jr., Nancy, and Dave. Since Dave
was only a toddler, Mr. Graves assisted him when it was his turn to
draw a slip of paper from the box. 
■ Once again after the five of them each had a slip of paper, they
opened them altogether. Bill, Jr., and Nancy smiled as they held their
blank slips above their head for everyone to see. Mr. Graves opened
little Dave's and everyone sighed. Finally, Bill reluctantly showed his
blank slip, so everyone knew Tessie had the black spot.
■ When Old Man Warner drew his slip, he declared it was his seventy-
seventh time participating in the lottery. The last few people took
their slips before everyone opened them. The crowd looked around
wondering which family had the piece of paper with the black spot on
it. It was Bill Hutchinson. Mrs. Dunbar told her oldest son to run and
tell the news to his dad back at home.
■ Mr. Summers then instructed the crowd to "finish quickly" as they
moved toward Tessie with the stones that they had gathered earlier
that day. Someone even handed little Dave a few pebbles. Mrs.
Hutchinson screamed that it wasn't fair as the crowd descended upon
her.
■ Mr. Summers then instructed the crowd to "finish quickly" as they
moved toward Tessie with the stones that they had gathered earlier
that day. Someone even handed little Dave a few pebbles. Mrs.
Hutchinson screamed that it wasn't fair as the crowd descended upon
her.
■ In the story, winning a lottery means the prize is death. They believed
that a human sacrifice would help their crops grow.
II. ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORY (connected to “The Lottery”) Example of Exposition:

 The short story takes place a few hundred years ago on June 27 in
A. Characters:
a small town. The townspeople start the day as they normally
 Protagonist – Clear center of story; all major events are important to
would, but then at 10:00 all the residents had to report to the town
this character.
square. Mr. Summers led the process together with Mr. Graves.
Ex. Tessie Hutchinson
2. RISING ACTION – where the problem or conflict central to the plot is
 Antagonist – Opposition or “enemy” of main character.
truly introduced.
Ex. Society at large
 Mr. Summers – a round – faced jovial man who ran the coal
Example of Rising Action:
business
 Mr. Graves – the postmaster  Mr. Summers brought with him a black wooden box with small
 Old Man Warner – the oldest man in town pieces of paper inside of it.
 Bill Hutchinson – he got the piece of paper with the black spot
on it  The representative of each family comes forward and draws a slip
 three children of Hutchinson: Bill, Jr., Nancy, and Dave (only a of paper from a black box.
toddler)
 Bill Hutchinson draws a slip of paper with a black dot on it.
B. Setting
 Time and location that story takes place.  Tessie (Bill's Wife) starts freaking out and complaining that "You
didn't give him enough time to take any paper he wanted."
1. Place – geographical location, where is the action of the story taking
place? 3. CLIMAX – the high point of interest and suspense in the story.
Ex. village of Bennington, Vermont (in the square between the post
office and the bank) Example of Climax:
2. Time – Historical period, time of day, year, etc; when the story taking  When Tessie (Bill's Wife) opens her paper and discovers the black
place? spot.
Ex. During summer / June 27
4. FALLING ACTION – includes events that will help to fully resolve the
3. Weather conditions – is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc? conflict, the results of decisions that have been made - whether good
Ex. sunny or bad for the character.

4. Social conditions – what is the daily life of the character’s life? Does Example of Falling Action:
the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech,
dress, mannerisms. customs, etc. of a particular place.  Tessie was in the center of a cleared space… and she held out
Ex. Normal routine of townspeople her hands desperately as the villagers moved in on her.

5. Mood or Atmosphere – What feeling is created at the beginning of 5. RESOLUTION – part at which the conflict is ended or resolved.
the story? Cheerful or eerie?
Ex. creepy Example of Resolution:

C. Plot  Mrs. Hutchinson screamed that it wasn't fair as the crowd

 The action that takes place in the story. descended upon her.

What are the parts of plot? D. Conflict

 The struggle between opposing forces.
1. EXPOSITION – introduces the reader to the setting and characters.
 F. THEME
Two Types of Conflict  Central message, “moral of the story”, and underlying meaning of
a fictional piece.
1. Internal – struggle within one’s self.  Examples of common themes occurring in literature:

 Character vs. Self – struggles with own soul, physical limitations, NOTE: The Theme in “The Lottery”:
choices, etc.  The Vulnerability of the Individual
 Violence
2. External – struggle with a force outside one’s self.  Tradition

 Character vs. Character – struggles against other people.

 Character vs. Nature – struggles against animals, weather, III. QUALIFYING ADVERBS
environment, etc.  An Adverb usually qualifies a Verb, an Adjective, another Adverb
 Character vs. Society – struggles against ideas, practices, or or a Preposition.
customs of others.
A. Qualifying the Verbs:
NOTE: The conflict in “The Lottery”:
 EXTERNAL CONFLICT - Character vs. Society 1. He did not run badly.
2. She has grown tall.
E. POINT OF VIEW 3. His life finished so quickly.
 The angle from which the story is told. 4. The singer sings loudly.
 There are several variations of POV:
B. Qualifying the Adjectives:
1. FIRST PERSON – involves the use of either of the two
pronouns “I” or “we.” 1. That lady is quite pretty.
2. SECOND PERSON – employs the pronoun “you.” 2. This man is more interesting than his brother.
3. THIRD PERSON – uses pronouns like “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” 3. Your report is always right.
or a name. 4. He is always fast in his walk.
5. You are the most talented students.
 Limited –the narrator sees only what’s in front of him/her, a
spectator of events as they unfold and unable to read any C. Qualifying the Adverbs:
other character’s mind.
 Omniscient –sees all, much as an all-knowing god of some 1. SPB and his team sing enormously too loudly.
kind. He or she sees what each character is doing and can 2. They run quite fast.
see into each character’s mind.
 Limited Omniscient –can only see into one character’s D. Qualifying the Prepositions:
mind. He/she might see other events happening, but only
knows the reasons of one character’s actions in the story. 1. The bird flew exactly over the sleeper's head.
2. He paid the money right up to date.
4. INNOCENT EYE / NAÏVE NARRATOR – story told through 3. This mistake was made entirely through your fault.
child’s eyes; narrator’s judgment is different from that of an 4. He arrived long before the time.
adult. 5. They committed a mistake simply out of innocence.
6. You have to face him squarely in front of you.
5. STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS – story told so readers solely
experience a character’s thoughts and reactions. E. An Adverb can qualify not merely individual words, but an entire
Assertive Sentence. In this case it must stand first in the sentence.
NOTE: The POV in “The Lottery”:
 THIRD PERSON POV (uses name)
1. Unfortunately the thief was not caught.
2. Evidently you were much distressed at the news.
3. Luckily he got the money from his father in time.
4. Inadvertently they failed to send their documents today.

F. Qualifying the Nouns:

1. There is a high mountain is beyond this town.

2. My parents gave a real surprise.
3. There is a fast train to your native after 8 pm today.

G. Qualifying the Pronouns:

4. It is a high mountain beyond this town.

5. They gave a real surprise.
6. It is a fast train to your native after 8 pm today.

H. In the following examples Adverb that precedes the Noun does not
qualify the Noun, but some Participle or Adjective understood.

1. The then king = the king then reigning.

2. The above account = the account given above.

In the following example, an Adverb ALMOST does not qualify the Noun
drunkard, but the Verb IS.

1. He is almost a drunkard.

To say…. He is an almost drunkard…would be incorrect.