The Lottery Theme Essay - 836 Words

In both The Lottery, and The Possibility of Evil there is a very evident theme that is horror lies in the most everyday settings and situations. This is shown in The Lottery by the â€Å"lottery† being considered an everyday normal aspect of life.We know that the â€Å"lottery† is the act of a name being drawn from a box, and the person who is drawn is going to be stoned to death, with frankly no reason at all. Also in The Lottery, no one is emotionally phased to the cruelty shown in the town, and throughout the story, as if it is apart of their everyday life. In The Possibility of Evil, we see this theme during the whole story, considering the main idea of the story is a woman who is trying to stop all of the evil in her and her towns everyday†¦show more content†¦Old Man Warner is appalled by this idea saying, â€Å"Pack of crazy fools†¦ there has always been a lottery.† Old Man Warner is very adamant about continuing this tradition, and is very c ritical to the people who are trying to end the tradition, almost as if he has no empathy for others. We view the lottery as something horrific and something that in today’s time would be socially unacceptable. In The Possibility of Evil, we see the horror in everyday situations in a very different way. The main idea of The Possibility of Evil is that the protagonist, Miss Strangeworth, is that Miss Strangeworth is trying to prevent all of the evil in her small town by passing letters about gossip that she heard to other people anonymously. In the story, we are first told of Miss Strangeworth’s roses, which are her most prized possession. In the beginning of the story, Miss Strangeworth encounters new parents, Don and Helen Crane. Helen Crane makes a comment about her baby seeming to be â€Å"slow.† Miss Strangeworth tells Helen that she is worrying for no reason and that â€Å"some of them develop much quicker than others others.† Later in the story Miss Strangeworth writes a letter to the Crane’s and says, â€Å"Didn’t you ever see an idiot child before? Some people just shouldn’t have children, should they?† Even though Miss Strangeworth v iews herself as the epitome of a citizen in her town, she is a factor to the evil in the town by creating these letters and spreading lies andShow MoreRelatedEssay on Theme of the Unexpected in The Lottery1819 Words   |  8 PagesExpect the Unexpected What thoughts come to mind when you think of The Lottery? Positive thoughts including money, a new home, excitement, and happiness are all associated with the lottery in most cases. However, this is not the case in Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery. Here, the characters in the story are not gambling for money, instead they are gambling for their life. A shock that surprises the reader as she unveils this horrifying tradition in the village on this beautifulRead More Theme of Tradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson Americans day after day live much of their lives following time-honored traditions that are passed down from one generation to another. From simple everyday cooking and raising children, to holidays and other family rituals, tradition plays a significant role on how they go by there everyday lives. In Shirley Jacksons short story, The Lottery, the citizens of a small farming town follow one such tradition. A point is made regarding human nature in relationRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Young Goodman Brown and the Lottery925 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"The Lottery† By: Wayne Gillard II Professor C. Givens ENGL 102-B19 Wayne Gillard Prof. Givens ENGL 102-B19 Essay 1 Outline Thesis: The literary works of â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† both appear to show the fallibleness of human behavior and judgment. I. Introduction/Statement of Thesis II. Themes and Author’s Purpose a. The Lottery i. The hazards of following tradition or living according toRead MoreEngl 102 Fiction Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesENGL 102 Fiction Essay Liberty University Online Micheal McIntosh Fiction Essay The first of the two stories I chose to compare and contrast is titled â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and the second story is titled â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† by D.H. Lawrence. I will compare each of their themes, characters, and plot developments in which they are both similar and different. One of the strongest comparison would be that both stories deal with the subject of luckRead More Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 Pagescom/literary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws people for a loop is â€Å"The Lottery†. This was Jackson’s first short story and many people did not know how to take the story. Your everyday person may be offended by it,but an everyday writer may think it is a work of art. Even though Jackson seemed like a normal person, she enjoyed writing about the dark side of things; hence, â€Å"The Lottery† was written. Shirley Jackson was born December 14, 1919, in San Francisco. She spent allRead MoreFiction Essay1407 Words   |  6 PagesFiction Essay Jessica Jack Liberty University English 102-B43 Outline for Compare and Contrast Essay Thesis: â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† by D.H. Lawrence and â€Å"The Lottery†, by Shirley Jackson provide two contrasting uses of Setting in a short story which accentuate the importance of the element in a story. One author has the ability to distract the reader, while the other author creates the structure of the story. 1. Introduction a. A brief summary of the â€Å"The Lottery†, by ShirleyRead MoreThe Use of Selective Exposition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1315 Words   |  6 PagesA typical story is littered with details, explaining the history of the world the story takes place in, who the characters in the story are, all the while remaining correlated to the plot and subplots that drive the story forward. The story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson however does not follow these conditions, as the reader is left to interpret a majority of the story on their own as it progresses. Jackson is not the only writer to incorporate a style of selective exposition in their work; RaymondRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Lottery By Shirley Jackson1012 Words   |  5 Pages Fiction Essay Young Goodman Brown vs. The Lottery Authors: Nathaniel Hawthrone and Shirley Jackson ENGL 102 Spring Zuidema October 16, 2017 Page Break Nyasia Midgette ENGL 102 October 9, 2017 Thesis Statement: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthrone stories, Shirley Jackson encourages her readers to question their beliefs, actions, and the world by creating struggle. PageRead MoreFiction Essay1006 Words   |  5 Pages Fiction Essay Thesis and Outline Thesis: In both â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† by Richard Connell, the authors write to emphasize the sanctity of life through the conflicts endured by their main characters both implicitly and explicitly. I. Introduction A. Thesis Statement B. â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson brief description C. â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† by Richard Connell brief description II. Characterization A. â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson Read MoreAnalysis Of Shirley Jackson s The Lottery Essay878 Words   |  4 PagesMichael Espinoza English 1302-5003 Professor Johnson June 22, 2015 Research-Based Argument Essay Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† Born on December 14, 1916, in San Francisco, California, Shirley Jackson was an American author whose novels and short stories are still relevant today. Jackson grew up in California and moved East with her family when she was 17 years old. She began her college career at the University of Rochester, withdrew for one year to practice her writing skills at home

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Downfall of a Leader Free Essays

The Foolishness of Achilles’ Anger What causes a great leader to fall? Why do people who have such large potential fail? Could it be pressure? Expectations? Circumstances? All these things may contribute but the final blows are made by a serious character flaw or a series of unwise choices. Two men help to illustrate this fact. First, Achilles, who was brought down by over-reacting and his own anger, faced failure as a leader. We will write a custom essay sample on Downfall of a Leader or any similar topic only for you Order Now Second, Samson made foolish decisions and paid for them with his life. Achilles, who was one of several Greek princes under King Agamemnon, demonstrates the foolishness of anger. Agamemnon and Achilles had each earned attractive women in battle. When Agamemnon had to return his woman to her father, the King took Briseis, Achilles’ prize, for himself, thus removing Achilles’ glory from him. Foolishly, Achilles responded with rage. He would not fight for Agamemnon against the Trojans until his honor was restored. He stomped back to his own hall and his own ships, taking his own countrymen with him. The Trojans almost slaughtered all the Greeks before the two quarreling captains made peace and Achilles willingly fought for his country. Achilles’ anger caused many unfortunate consequences. One consequence was his own misery. Selfishness equals misery. Since most of his friends did not like him anymore, he felt very lonely. A second outcome of Achilles’ bitterness was the death of many people. Because he continued his pouting, the war lasted several days longer and many soldiers perished needlessly. Lastly, the irritation resulted in the untimely end of his best friend, Petroclus, who bravely marched into battle wearing Achilles’ armor. Achilles, although he was a skillful, courageous warrior, provides a clear example of the nasty effects of resentment. Another potentially great leader was Samson. Samson was born to deliver the Israelites because they had fallen into sin again. Although he had to follow strict rules, he would be a great and strong man. He could not cut his hair, or touch any unclean animal, and he was required to follow all the rules of the Nazirites. Samson thoughtlessly broke many of the rules on him. He married a woman who was not from Israel, he touched an unclean animal, and wholly rejected his calling to save Israel. God however, was going to have his way, with or without Samson’s obedience. While Samson had destroyed many Philistines, the Israelites captors, he was still unwilling to obey. At last Samson made an incurable mistake; he told Delilah how to make himself weak. Samson spent the rest of his short life as a captive to the Philistines. His eyes were plucked out. He worked like an animal. He was treated like dirt. In the end he did destroy the Philistine army, but only with his own death. His bad choices led him to a place he never intended to go. When he was born, he had the potential to be Israel’s greatest and grandest judge, but instead he became a blind man who had to die to fulfill his purpose. Although both Samson and Achilles were great men, they failed because of their anger, foolishness, selfishness, and resentment. They ruined their possible success by making unwise decisions. Even though they were born to greatness, their reputations are marred by their reckless behavior. These two men’s lives reveal the stumbling blocks that cause leaders to fall. How to cite Downfall of a Leader, Papers

How to overcome barriers to effective communication free essay sample

Communication in business is the passing on of ideas and information and building relationships in this way, however in the process of doing so sometimes some issues and conditions may arise that might hinder the ideas and information being passed on from being understood clearly these are what we refer to as communication barriers. Therefore, its very important to identify the barriers of business communication to get your message across clearly. Organizational communication involves formal and informal communications throughout an organization. This branch of communications considers an organizations communications to employees, with employees and from employees to upper management. When a business or organization does not establish clear communication policies, define roles or provide training for better communications, this can result in several barriers to effective communication. The communication barriers that may arise in an organization include the following; No/Poor Communication Strategy. When organizations fail to establish consistent communication materials and policies for employees, this can lead to a major breakdown in organizational communication. For example a salesperson who is unclear about features and benefits of the organizations products may not meet projected sales goals. When clear communication guidelines and policies are not established, this may cause serious problems for the organization. One-way Communication. Organizations should not just be concerned with communication that flows from upper management to employees only , but also from lower level employees to upper management so that they can issue their issues, concerns and ideas Processes must be established so that employees can report grievances, cases of sexual, verbal or physical harassment, and suggestions for improvement. In a recent article, Ann Meyer of the Chicago Tribune refers to the results of surveys conducted at 54 companies between January and August of 2010, which showed that in addition to pay raises and other favorable employment conditions, workers wanted increased communication. Non-responsiveness to employees When organizations solicit feedback from employees and then disregard the information they receive or take long to give feedback, this will hinder communication within the organization, but also lead to mistrust which will always hinder any future communication made since attitude of the employees will be bad . According to Meyer, Convergint Technologies did an employee-engagement survey in 2009 and gave each of its 860 employees $100 cash for a fun-and-laughter personal day, based on the suggestion from one of its employees. Companies who are not responsive to employee feedback therefore create a barrier for effective organizational communication and risk losing out on employee loyalty, commitment, satisfaction and engagement. Using the Wrong Communication Channel. When the wrong communication channel is used the message may not be understood clearly or it may bring about a lot of confusion. Different situations may require different communication channels therefore it is advised that the communication channel being employed is fit for the message being communicated. For example sensitive issues like layoffs and terminations are best communicated face-to-face, while other situations like performance reviews and behavioral issues should be documented so they can be reviewed in the future. Distance Distance is a major communication barrier especially for those organizations that have offices in various geographic locations and although teleconferencing has provided assistance in bridging communication gaps between business associates in different geographic locations, it is often viewed as less effective than meeting face-to-face. Part of the problem is from being unable to read facial expressions and body language (non-verbal communication), which can lead to misinterpreted reactions. Culture. Culture can be a big communication barrier for businesses working across cultures especially international/Global organizations. Without any training it is easy to fail to recognize the effect that difference in culture which entails language, environment, social history, conceptions of authority and nonverbal communication has on communication. According to an Inc. article, ethnocentrism leads to the belief that your way of conducting business is logical, when in reality that logic stems from your own cultural upbringing. Distractions. Business interactions must take place in an environment where both parties are able to pay attention to one another free of distractions. Having a television or radio on, the constant noise of sirens or bells, poor technological connections, poor internet connections, the temperature of the room and even the appearance of the speaker can be distracting to an audience. While not all distractions can be avoided, its important to eliminate as many as possible so that your message comes through effectively. Perceptual barriers. Many times ,employees grow accustomed to perceiving things in particular ways, making it difficult to recognize new meanings. For example, a manager who prefers hiring Havard graduates may overlook the exceptional contributions that could be made by a USIU graduate. Differing life experiences, interests and values may prevent two employees from perceiving an event the same way and due to invalid perceptions, an employee may recommend incorrect solutions. Gender barriers. Although these have become less of an issue in recent years, there is still the possibility for a man to misinterpret the words of a woman, or vice versa because men and women tend to form their thoughts differently therefore this must be taken into account when communicating. Although some communication barriers may not be easy to overcome especially those that are perceptual or emotional ,most of others can be solved if they are addressed properly and these include the following; A closed door approach or a business culture where only the very few get the whole story can lead to problems in communications, and developing an honest and open line of discussion can help improve the situation. Therefore, to solve the problem of non-responsiveness to employees which brings about a lack of trust, building an atmosphere of transparency, where leadership provides details behind decisions, can improve communications, even where trust has been fractured. Management can take steps to open up communications by providing an honest opportunity for staff, customers or shareholders to discuss business operations candidly with the possibility of change to occur based on that discussion. Also organizations can organize unofficial activities such that employees get to interact with their managers on a social basis to break the tension which will make working together and communication easier . Secondly , to solve the barrier of use of a wrong communication channel, Regardless of the scenario, companies must carefully consider what channel will be used to reduce confusion, increase clarity and ensure uniformed and actual delivery of the message to all employees who need to receive it. The barrier of geographical distance can be solved by using the recent technological advances in combining the Internet, video conferencing and multimedia technology assist in bridging this gap so that business associates have the ability to put a name to the face and to better comprehend the nature of their conversations. Although this may be expensive in the short run it makes communication much easier. In business, communications systems can go awry when different departments or divisions do not talk to each other. Departments can assume the other side knows what is happening but, without frequent and consistent messaging, communications can be ineffective. Arrange regular meetings, updates, reports or emails to provide the latest information to keep all departments in the loop. Provide as much information as necessary and institute an open door policy to keep communications running smoothly between departments, divisions or even between those on your own work team. Gather employees and openly discuss the communication barriers that have arisen. All parties involved should understand the goal is to resolve the communication issues to improve the work environment. To solve the culture barrier organizations can hire appropriate cultural consultants and teach employees about intercultural communication. Translators can also be hired if necessary, to communicate effectively across different cultures and in this case language specifically. In business, employees sometimes lack motivation as a result of unclear communication about their roles in an organization. Its vital for people to feel driven by a purpose, and when you educate employees on how their company plays a role in a larger commitment, those employees are more likely to feel motivated about doing their jobs well. Additionally, a lack of recognition is problematic in retaining employees. Conveying appreciation for work that is done well is important to keeping the best workers. To solve the problem of distractions, management of such organizations should try to eliminate as many distractions as possible so that your message comes through effectively. For example ensuring that there is working air conditioning at all times and sound proof walls to block all unwanted noise, sirens from outside. In conclusion, Business is all about building relationships, but without effective communication its nearly impossible to create those relationships on a strong foundation. Therefore, its vital to identify the barriers of business communication to get your message across clearly. By being sensitive to the needs of your business associates, you will have an easier time communicating.