The Lottery review

The Lottery review

Life in the present society appears to be shaped by several factors that are developed to suit the interests of the people. Most of the factors that shape life in any society are based on what interests the people. Generally, people have a way of coming up with ethical standards that befit their expectations. Robert Scholes presents an essay “On Reading a Video Text” to give an outline of what the world is founded on in terms of literature. Scholes’s explanation of cultural enforcement and narrativity presents a better understanding of the main idea behind texts such as “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. “The Lottery” is based on a cultural reinforcement that excites the reader on the nature of the deadly lottery, although the wise employment of narrative skills moves the reader throughout the story to create meaning out of it. Robert Scholes’ essay “On Reading a Video Text” is essential in understanding the setting of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” and the rampant use of cultural enforcement and narrativity creates meaning from the text.

Robert Scholes employs a comprehensive explanation of the terms of cultural enforcement and narrativity to prepare the reader on the development of video texts. Scholes presents a world that is distorted by the efforts that people employ to create a world that befits them hence cultural enforcement. Generally, developers of video texts utilize narration as a way of coming up with pieces that present a world that is far way different from the expected world. Scholes defines cultural enforcement as a way of confirming the membership of the audience to their ideological positions as well as maintaining a particular cultural body. On narrativity, Scholes says, “by narrativity, of course, I mean the pleasures and powers associated with the reception of stories presented in video texts.” The terminology used by Scholes is evident in the way Shirley Jackson presents “The Lottery.” Moreover, “The Lottery” is understood better with the knowledge obtained from Scholes’ “On Reading a Video Text.”

Narrativity is an essential tool in Jackson’s “The Lottery,” with the reader being taken through a narration of society’s strange culture. First, the author introduces the reader to an ironical aspect of the lottery. Generally, the reader would expect that everyone in the lottery is determined to at least come out with a win. However, the reality of the case is different in Jackson’s story. The crowd is afraid of winning but continues participating in the lottery. The narration skills of the author bring the readers into an understanding that the society has been engaging in the lottery for several years, with the winner being sacrificed to the gods through stoning to death. Generally, the lottery wins are dedicated to the gods, and everyone would be surprised whether anyone would be interested in dying. Besides, the narrative bit comes out clearly in the way the author employs extensive use of picturesque to prepare the reader, though ironically, for a tragic end of the story. The image of a sunny and bright day does not provide the expected introduction to a day that will end in death. However, the narrative eventually comes out to provide a positive side of the lottery game.

The narrativity skills employed in “The Lottery” are essential in bringing out a positive side of an act that would instead be interpreted negatively. Generally, the story presents a society that is twisted but uses a strange way to overcome the twisted nature of the world. People are used to victimizing others in a bid to create a scapegoat or to feel better. Furthermore, people bring out the negative attributes of other people to justify why the people in question should be victimized. In the event of the lottery, an ideal world would be involved in choosing a victim for the sacrifice, but the story presents a different idea. The gods are only presented the best among the lottery players. Therefore, no one is chosen for sacrifice because of their annoying characters hence the positive side of the lottery story. Generally, narrativity in “The Lottery” presents a solution towards the twisted nature of the world and lets an individual choose their destiny by winning the lottery. Moreover, the idea of cultural reinforcement comes out when society is being addressed by the elders concerning the need to participate in the lottery.

A society that has been brought up to maintain a cultural identity remains in captivity of the cultural beliefs for the longest time possible. In “The Lottery,” the reader expects that the villagers should have ceased from practicing an activity that is sure to end up in death. However, the villagers appear to have assumed responsibility for reinforcing their culture even without a commanding authority. The fear for the gods has driven the elders into believing that the lottery was undeniable and that anyone who comes out against the practice should be seen as an outcast. For example, the young man who comes out to claim that the village was lagging behind other villages that had left the practice is seen as being insane. The elders warn the villagers to stay away from people who would easily mislead them. Moreover, the cultural reinforcement forces the people to turn up in high numbers to witness and participate in the lottery despite the impending danger.

The participation of the villagers in the lottery depends on the personal responsibility to reinforce the culture. Generally, the villagers are out to reinforce their position in society by participating in the lottery. The severity of Scholes’ cultural reinforcement comes out in “The Lottery” through the way that the villagers appear frightened while participating in the lottery, although they are not forced to participate. Culture seems to have stolen the decision-making capacity of the villagers, and they cannot choose to deviate from their culture. Also, the author uses the image of a bright day that will eventually end in tears to show that the villagers have accepted the lottery. Besides, the winner is killed by the same villagers who fail to win in the lottery.

In sum, the essay “On Reading a Video Text,” Robert Scholes is essential in understanding the setting of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Moreover, the rampant use of cultural enforcement and narrativity creates meaning from the text. Scholes defines cultural reinforcement and narrativity as standard tools that literature use in giving the society a chance of shaping their world. Generally, “The Lottery” is understood better with the knowledge obtained from Scholes’ “On Reading a Video Text.”