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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where is Tessie by the time everyone has their stones?

2. What is the date of the lottery?

3. Why do they stop using the wood chips?

4. What does Jackson hint in the story when Tessie is very late arriving?

5. What is Jackson saying about tradition.

Short Essay Questions

1. What formality occurs before the lottery is officially open?

2. What do the boys do to prepare for the lottery.

3. What happens as the stoning begins?

4. What are the heads of families instructed to do with their slips of paper?

5. What is Jackson saying about children in this story?

6. Why is everything so organized in the village for the lottery?

7. What request do Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves make of the villagers and who volunteers?

8. What is THE LOTTERY meant to satirize?

9. As Mr. Summers turns to face the gathered villagers, what disturbance occurs?

10. At what point in the story does Jackson raise the question of what's going on with her readers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper explaining how traditions may change over time. Traditions are usually handed down by example or word of mouth. How would this make it easy for change to happen?

Essay Topic 2

Write a paper on how well written short stories hold the interest of the reader including the fact that they can be read in one sitting.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper comparing THE LOTTERY with humiliating and sometimes dangerous club initiations. Discuss such things as humane treatment, anxiety of the initiates, and the moral correctness of the proceedings.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 540 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample