The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson

This short story takes place in a small village of 300 people, where everyone is assembled in the central square for the lottery. Every head of family gets to draw a paper from the box, and the family with the black-dotted paper is chosen. Every member of that family has to draw another time, and the person with the black-dotted paper "wins": they get stoned to death by their fellow villagers.

A large controversy surrounded "The Lottery". The magazine in which it was published lost hundreds of subscriptions, and the author received a lot of letters from angry or disgusted readers. It was listed in the 30 most often banned books in America in 1984.

The names in the story all have a specific signification and are very ironic. For example, Mr Summers is the one bringing the bad news, Delacroix is the one throwing the biggest stone and Martin refers to apes!

Poetic devices

• Connotation


• Denotation


• Figures of speech ( simile, metaphore, personification, apostrophe, hyperbole, oxymoron)


• imagery


• Symbolism


• Antithesis

• Euphony


• Cacophony


• Alliteration


• Onomatopoeia


• Rhyme


• Assonance


• Consonance

Hills like White Elephants

*white elephant = expensive & useless

1. Introduction

• The story was published in 1927 by Ernest Hemingway.
• ingenious symbolism
• powerful dialogue
• Iceberg theory*

2. Plot summary

• Jig is pregnant
• Takes place in Spain
• read between the lines, they are talking about Jig's upcoming abortion
• Mostly dialogues
• Takes place in about 40 minutes

3. Themes and recurring elements

• Alcohol is present thorought the entire story, whether it is 'to try new things' or just to survive to the oppressive heat (beer)
• could be because of the uneasiness due to the choice she has to make
• Abortion
• Romantic relationship : mature/lasting (woman) or fleeting/sex (man)
• Responsibility / hedonism

4. Symbolism and setting

• landscape: on one side of the tracks it is green and fertile, and on the other it is brown and dry.
• the hills could represent the hills of the pregnant woman, with the huge belly
• white elephant means something expensive and useless, or also a sign of something good to happen. two sides of the same story
• train station: the characters could go their separate ways, or continue on the same train together.
• Jig: jig is a dance / slang word for sex... she is a sex object for him
• for the man, the baby is a white elephant
• 2 bags, 2 pads, 2 drinks, 2 tracks, 2 people... three's a crowd

5. Dialogue

• Very simple dialogues... have to read between the lines
• never explicit

"If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of the iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. The writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing."

Amazingly well-said

Cat on a hot tin roof: Nov 11-12-13

1- Where and when does the story take place?
2- Who are the characters?
3- What is their relationship?
4- What is the mood of the scene?
5- What and whom are they talking about?

• Setting: Place (geographical) & Time (Historical)
• Characterization
• Dramatic Tension
• Plot dialogue

Questions on Study Guide

Context: Write short answers.
What kind of family did Tennessee Williams (TW) have?
Where does his first name come from?
What is the Pulitzer Prize?
How was the original play changed for both Broadway and the cinema?
How did TW die?
What was the new American drama that TW represented?

Plot Overview: Put the events in the correct order.
Maggie confesses to making love with Skipper. _____
The family gets together with Mama and talks of Big Daddy’s cancer._____
Big Daddy asks Brick about his drinking problem. _____
Maggie says the Brick’s brother and wife are plotting to take all the inheritance. _____
Maggie announces that she’s pregnant. _____
Maggie talks about Brick and Skipper’s love for each other. _____
We learn that Brick injured his ankle. _____
Big Daddy enters the room. _____
Brick says that the relationship with Skipper was pure. _____

Character List: Write down all the adjectives used to describe each character. Find the definition of the words you don’t know.

Margaret: (Maggy) hard, nervous, bitchy, lonely and gorgeous (CAT)
Brick: alcoholis, masculine, suppressed homosexual, broken
Big Daddy: (B's father and M's father-in-law) large, brash (agressive), vulgar, fat, redneck, rich
Big Mama: fat, crude, earnest (sincere), dedicated to BD
Mae: (B's sister-in-law, Gooper's husband) mean, agitated, scheming (conspiring)
Gooper:(B's older brother) successful lawyer, eldest son, less loved than B, resentful, only educated one, ruthless (mean)
Reverend Tucker:
Doctor Baugh:
The children:

Analysis of Major Characters:
Why is Maggie the most interesting character?
What does Brick’s injury represent?
Why does Maggie call Big Daddy a “redneck’?
What does Mama desperately want?

Themes, Motifs, and Symbols:
What was American society’s view of homosexuality at the time?
What are the two “lies” in the play?
What does the image of the “cat” represent?
What is Big Daddy’s narcissistic love for Brick?
What do the children represent?

Symbols:What do these three things symbolize?
- Bed
- Console
- Crutch

Writing Journal 1

The Nightingale and the Rose

In this beautiful story by Oscar Wilde, it is question of the deepest emotion of all: love. The story mostly takes place in the Student’s garden, where the said Student is crying in despair because he was not able to collect a red rose to conquer his love’s heart and take her to the Prince’s ball. A nightingale hears him, and feels deep sorrow at the thought of this lover’s heart breaking. She then decides to do all that she can to help him, for his love surely is pure and must be worth more than everything else.

The Nightingale then flies from rose tree to rose tree in search of the reddest of roses, to finally reach the red-rose tree; however, the Tree tells her that the only way for him to produce the flower she seeks is to build it out of her own blood, to the sound of music, by moonlight. The little Nightingale agreed, and her chant produced the most beautiful red rose of all. After her death, the Student picked up the rose and offered it to his love. To the reader’s amazement, the maiden refused the rose, saying that jewels were worth more than a simple flower and that she would go to the ball with the Chamberlain’s nephew. Thrown on the floor by the Student, ran over by a cart-wheel, left in disgrace by the ungrateful maiden, the rose the Nightingale had sacrificed her life for was useless. The Student then returned to his books: they were more practical than love could ever be.

Practice for sentence patterns 1, 1a & 1b

Sentence Pattern 1, 1a, and 1b:
Complete the sentences:
(Sentence Pattern 1)
1. There was an explosion in Montreal; the city was deserted and burning.
2. The old man slowly got into bed ; he had the biggest headache ever.
3. The cat's tail began to switch back and forth ; the hunter had seen its prey.

Complete each sentence using an appropriate conjunctive adverb:
(Sentence Pattern 1a)
4. The crisis had passed ; therefore, we decided to keep it a secret.
5. Robert would never admit where he was at the time of the murder; thus, he was definitely guilty.
6. Jean was older than Grace ; however, his knowledge of mathematics was not better!
Complete each sentence using an appropriate subordinating conjunction:
(Sentence Pattern 1b)
7. Edgar Allan Poe was primarily an author of horror stories; he also wrote plays, but his short stories were considered the best.
8. The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most macabre movies ever produced; it talks about a cannibalistic serial killer, and the weak of heart should avoid seeing it.
9. The "Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe; it uses a lot of symbolism, then again it is also very realistic.

The Sentence

A sentence (=complete idea) can be simple or compound.

Subject
Verb
Connector
Preposition
Modifier
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Subject Complement

Independant Clause: Complete idea + S/V
Dependant Clause: Not a complete idea + Verb
Phrase: Not a complete idea + No verb

1[Cegepsl has 3150 talented students 2[in different programs, 3[which are interesting.

1- IC
2- Phrase
3- DC


Pattern 1 :
Cegepsl has 3150 students; many are smart and talented; some are lazy.

Compound (2ICs)
The semi-colon is used as the connector here. (no conjunction (ex.: not AND many of them..))
We couldn't use a comma here because it would be a run-on. It shouldn't be used because they are 2 independent ideas.

Pattern 1A:
Cegepsl has 3150 students; however, some will drop out.

Compound, semi-colon with conjunctive adverb.
(Therefore, however, thus, then, hence...etc)

Pattern 1B:
Cegepsl has 3150 students; many are taking music, but some are studying dance.

Compound, semi-colon, coordinating conjunction.
(And, but, yet, so....etc)

Pattern 2:
Darwin's "The origin of species" stated a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
Obama made an important announcement: Hillary will not be my VP.
Shaw told a writer there are three things i dislike about your story: they are the beginning, the middle and the end.
There is one key rule in my life: never ask anyone something you wouldn't ask yourself.

Compound : colon /gives an explanation/ general to specific


Pattern 3:
With passion, determination, purpose, Lincoln condemned slavery.
Mr B. enjoys three sports: swimming, biking and running.

A series (adjectives, nouns, modifier) without a conjunction.


Pattern 4:
God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger.
'Micheal Clayton' is a story of money and power, passion and obsession, love and hate, good and evil.

A series of balanced pairs.


Pattern 5:
The Mona Lisa, Michelangelo's David, the ceiling of the Sistine chapel - such are the wonders of Renaissance Italy.
or:
- each is a masterpiece.
- all were made during the Renaissance.
- what great art!

Introductory series of appositives with dash-- and summarizing subject.

Exercise: Blending patterns 4 and 5 together with: ham, fruit, coffee, jam, toast, eggs
- Ham and eggs, jam and toast, fruit and coffee -- such are the delicious elements of the perfect breakfast.
- France and England, Italy and Spain, China and India -- all are great countries to visit.

Pattern 6:
My favourite french wines --Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon-- are wonderful to savour.
Many books students enjoy reading (Emma, Little women, Jane Eyre) show women in traditionnal roles in society.

An internal series of appositives or modifiers using dashes -- or parentheses (...).

Exercise: Write two examples of your own.
- The bird supplies that I need to buy (basic food, treats, corn) are expensive.
- My two brothers --Sebastien and Jean-François-- are working in the music industry.

Pattern 7:
Because it may seem difficult at first, because it may sound awkward, because it creates long sentences, this pattern seems forbidding to writers, but it's easy; try it!
Since he has little imagination and since he had even less talent, he wasn't hired for the job.


Dependant clauses in a pair or series (beginning or end). Subordinating conjunction (like because). time/since, when, after, before, while. place/where, wherever. purpose/because, and.
contrast/although, though, even if.

Pattern 8:
We all inhabit a mysterious world -- the inner world, the world of the mind.
In ­"The Lottery", Jackson mocks community worship of outdated customs,
customs that have no meaning, customs that are uncivilized and barbaric.
- The cuban hurricane was devastating-- devastating for the people, devastating for the land, devastating for the animals and devastating for the vegetation.

Repetition of a key term using a dash (--) or comma for emphasis

Pattern 9:
Metro thieves have a common target: the wallets or purses of old people.
The country elected the 2nd most unpopular man on Earth as PM: Stephen Harper.
- I want to marry a fantastic guy: Jason Mraz.

Emphatic appositive at end after a colon (:)

Pattern 10:
American fast-food is very popular and steakhouses (not to mention Mc D's ans KFC) are in most countries.

Interrupting modifier between subject and verb using two commas, dashes, parentheses
It's for a dramatic effect or a comment

Pattern 10A:
Narcissus ignored Echo so completely (how could he? she was such a lovely nymph
!) that she faded away.

Using a full sentence: statement, question, exclamation (--) or ()

Pattern 11:
Mistakes:
Walking on stage, the spotlight focused on Maggie.
The spotlight focused on Maggie walking on stage.

The three boys tried to steal my bike going on an errand.
Going on an errand, I almost got my bike stolen by three boys.


Introductory or concluding participles (past -ed or irregular , present -ing)

Pattern 12:

Ex: Well, I wonder.
Minutes passed.
It was magical.
That's not my style.
Everything changed.
But then it happened.

Just consider this.




Short simple sentence for dramatic effect or relief used
1- after several long sentences
2- to summarize what you just said
3- to provide transition between 2 or more ideas



Pattern 12A:



What caused the change?

Why did she?

And, why not?

Well, who cares?

What comes next?

When will it end?

How will it end?



Short question for dramatic effect used

1- to arouse interest

2- as a topic sentence in a paragraph

3- in a paragraph for variety





Pattern 13:



How he could fail, is a mystery to me.

Who assassinated JFK is still debated.

Who assassinated JFK got assassinated himself.



A dependant clause as a subject, object or complement using:

who, whom, which, that, what, why, where, when, how











FRED FACTOR

Writing a Thesis Statement

Definition:

• A thesis statement (TS) is the sentence used to declare what you believe and intend to prove.
• It should be contestable : readers should reasonably be able to discuss it and have an opinion on it.
• IT SHOULD NOT CONTAIN THE WORD 'I' !
• Don't use a question form.
• Background research on the subject has to be done in order to create a thesis based on the fundamental questions related to this subject.
• The thesis is usually located at the end of the introduction.
• It should pass the test of the 'so what?' and 'who cares?' test... meaning that it has to be interesting and related to an important/significant subject.
• Specific topic + Attitude/Angle/Argument = Thesis
  What you plan to argue + How you plan to argue it = Thesis

TS relates to Poe's 'Tell-Tale Heart'

Using literary elements:
- Plot (storyline/action)
- Setting
- Language (simple/metaphor)
- Theme
- Symbolism

DEFEND IT:
- Through the text
- Outside the text

Examples:
Poe recognized himself in the narrator.
- Paint a portrait of the narrator. (use the text)
- Paint a portrait of the author. (research, use biography)

Poe uses the 'vulture eye' as the main symbol in the story.
- Show that eye = paranoia

GAINS profile of Stéphanie Trottier!

The first subject of my first blog ever is sitting next to me right now in the person of Stéphanie Trottier. We met this morning in English class, when we had to learn about other students in order to write about one of them, following the GAINS pattern.

When asked about her goals in life , the ones she mentioned were all relative to school. In the short term, she wishes to be able to pass her english class. In the mid-term, Stéphanie wants to graduate from cegep. Her main objective would be to become a successful art therapist in the 5 years to come. 

Still academically speaking, one of the things she is most proud of is to actually have reached cegep last year. On a more personal level, the achievements she would be the happiest about would be her participation to various talent shows. She sang twice in front of a large crowd, and is very proud of that.

Stéphanie is a very artistic person. Her main interests almost all concern arts, at different levels. She loves to sing, but quit her singing lessons because they were too expensive. She also likes to draw, paint and read. Out of the artistic world, she has a passion for traveling and would like to be able to do it more often. 

Due to her mother's nationality, Stéphanie has family in Malaysia, though her close family lives in Montreal. Since she lives here, most of her friends are also in Montreal. 

If she had to describe herself in three words, they would probably be : creative, artistic and curious. They represent well her strengths and skills. After getting to know her a little bit  better in this small interview, I would agree with her choice of words. 

I hope this profile succeeded in explaining what kind of person Stéphanie Trottier is. The GAINS way of proceeding is very interesting and really helps in bonding with a person in a short time.