"Tessie Hutchinson was in the center of a cleared space by now, and she held her hands out desperately as the villagers moved in on her. 'It isn't fair,' she said. A stone hit her on the side of the head." (Page 271)
ARE THESE PEOPLE CRAZY??!?!?!?!?! Why the heck are they so willing to kill someone? At the beginning of this story, I had no idea for what they were holding the lottery, but it didn't seem to be positive. I knew that some people didn't want the lottery because they mentioned other areas getting rid of the lottery and being perfectly fine. They seem to think they are sacrificing to some go of theirs. How they can kill a friend of theirs who they were talking to so cordially just ten minutes before is beyond me. It's a bit ironic that Tessie arrived late to the ceremony, and she was the one stoned to death.
This story reminded me of the Hunger Games a lot. (As I'm sure it did many other bloggers.) The situation is basically the same. The town gathers once a year to choose someone to, in essence, kill. In this story, they actually kill the unfortunate winner of the lottery. In the Hunger Games, the two winners of the lottery are forced to fight against 22 other young people until only one remains. Considering statistics, most names drawn from that lottery are condemned to death. Here's a trailer to get you excited for the upcoming movie:
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
"Popular Mechanics" - Raymond Carver
"No but I want the baby. I'll get someone to come by for his things. You're not touching this baby, she said." (Lines 14-15)
This story reminds me of some baby-daddy fight on Maury or Jerry Springer. Except it's ironic because usually the father is not willing to fight for his baby. Commonly, he will cheer and dance around if the child isn't his. It's also ironic that the Mom says that the Dad won't touch the baby, but he ends up trying to take it from her, and they kill the baby. This story is an exaggerated example of how a custody battle usually goes when dealing with two parents who both want their child. The parents fight like immature people, and the unfortunate child is completely stuck in the middle without the ability to walk away from the situation.
It's also extremely ironic that both parents are attempting to protect their child from the other one, but they work together to destroy the baby. Their arguing leads to the child's death. Their issue was not resolved in a manner that was anything close to civil, and they have to face the sad truth that neither will get what they want.
This story reminds me of some baby-daddy fight on Maury or Jerry Springer. Except it's ironic because usually the father is not willing to fight for his baby. Commonly, he will cheer and dance around if the child isn't his. It's also ironic that the Mom says that the Dad won't touch the baby, but he ends up trying to take it from her, and they kill the baby. This story is an exaggerated example of how a custody battle usually goes when dealing with two parents who both want their child. The parents fight like immature people, and the unfortunate child is completely stuck in the middle without the ability to walk away from the situation.
It's also extremely ironic that both parents are attempting to protect their child from the other one, but they work together to destroy the baby. Their arguing leads to the child's death. Their issue was not resolved in a manner that was anything close to civil, and they have to face the sad truth that neither will get what they want.
"The Drunkard" - Frank O'Connor
Responding to Question #6: What is the principal irony in the story?"
' "My brave little man!" she said with her eyes shining. "It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel." ' (Page 351)
Throughout the beginning of this story, Larry worries about and anticipates the drunken behavior of his father. He describes for the reader what will happen because it always happens that way. His father will have one drink because of the funeral and then get totally plastered. After that, he won't want to go to work because he feels sick and then he'll turn into the biggest drunk ever for a few weeks and spend all of the family's money until he gets his life back in order until the next bender. All of his previous drinking is rooted in shame. Shame of his life, shame of the first drink. He just wants to get rid of his memories of drinking by more drinking. The mother and son do not want the father to get drunk after Mr. Dooley's funeral, so the son accompanies him as a buffer. However, the son takes it upon himself to save his father by drinking until he is exactly like his father.
All of the ironies in this story contribute to the main irony that the father and son's roles are completely reversed. The son ends up acting exactly as he had feared his father would. The father is forced to play the role his wife and son usually play by caring for his drunken child. The mother thanks and praises her son for coming home completely drunk even though, in a normal situation, a mother would be irate that her 12-year-old son got drunk. It was a blessing in disguise for the family's well-being.
' "My brave little man!" she said with her eyes shining. "It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel." ' (Page 351)
Throughout the beginning of this story, Larry worries about and anticipates the drunken behavior of his father. He describes for the reader what will happen because it always happens that way. His father will have one drink because of the funeral and then get totally plastered. After that, he won't want to go to work because he feels sick and then he'll turn into the biggest drunk ever for a few weeks and spend all of the family's money until he gets his life back in order until the next bender. All of his previous drinking is rooted in shame. Shame of his life, shame of the first drink. He just wants to get rid of his memories of drinking by more drinking. The mother and son do not want the father to get drunk after Mr. Dooley's funeral, so the son accompanies him as a buffer. However, the son takes it upon himself to save his father by drinking until he is exactly like his father.
All of the ironies in this story contribute to the main irony that the father and son's roles are completely reversed. The son ends up acting exactly as he had feared his father would. The father is forced to play the role his wife and son usually play by caring for his drunken child. The mother thanks and praises her son for coming home completely drunk even though, in a normal situation, a mother would be irate that her 12-year-old son got drunk. It was a blessing in disguise for the family's well-being.
"You're Ugly, Too" - Lorrie Moore
Responding to Question #3: This story makes extensive use of jokes. Discuss the importance of jokes to the characterization of Zoe and to the story as a whole.
' "You want a second opinion? OK," says the doctor. "You're ugly, too." She liked that joke. She thought it was terribly, terribly funny." ' (Page 360)
Humor is a an extremely present factor in this story, but it does not do much for Zoe's prospects as a life partner. Sarcastic comments are funny...until they aren't. After a while, they got a little boring and annoying. Zoe's jokes are mostly funny, but they are so overused that she comes off as a bitter old lady who is more suited to own 9 cats than to settle down and get married. These jokes characterize her as the comedian with whom everyone laughs but no one wants to get to know on a deeper level. The jokes only detract from her appeal as a regular person. Zoe's humor changes from something to which she can turn in awkward situations to something she resorts to in every single conversation. From the presence of a 2-year relationship in her past, she is slightly likable, but her jokes and history (no pun intended) mark her as a person with zero substance. Poor thing...
' "You want a second opinion? OK," says the doctor. "You're ugly, too." She liked that joke. She thought it was terribly, terribly funny." ' (Page 360)
Humor is a an extremely present factor in this story, but it does not do much for Zoe's prospects as a life partner. Sarcastic comments are funny...until they aren't. After a while, they got a little boring and annoying. Zoe's jokes are mostly funny, but they are so overused that she comes off as a bitter old lady who is more suited to own 9 cats than to settle down and get married. These jokes characterize her as the comedian with whom everyone laughs but no one wants to get to know on a deeper level. The jokes only detract from her appeal as a regular person. Zoe's humor changes from something to which she can turn in awkward situations to something she resorts to in every single conversation. From the presence of a 2-year relationship in her past, she is slightly likable, but her jokes and history (no pun intended) mark her as a person with zero substance. Poor thing...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)