GradeSaver (TM) ClassicNotes: The Lottery and Other Stories Study Guide

The Lottery and Other Stories Study Guide

by Shirley Jackson

The Lottery and Other Stories study guide contains a biography of author Shirley Jackson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

The Lottery and Other Stories is a collection of twenty-five stories written by Shirley Jackson. These stories range from the ordinary to the fantastic. Some of her stories describe the experiences of housewives and mothers in typical town settings, while others hint at mental illness and diabolical fantasies experienced by unstable characters.

“The Intoxicated”: at a house party in suburban America, an intoxicated male guest encounters Eileen, 17, the daughter of the party hosts. They talk about the end of the world and her homework.

“The Daemon Lover”: An unreliable narrator prepares for her wedding, but the groom, Jamie Harris, never comes to pick her up. She searches for him in vain, most likely because he does not exist.

“Like Mother Used…

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