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Compare Harrison Bergeron And The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

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Individuals are the building blocks of society, but they can’t dictate the way society flows. In the short stories “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson and “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut, and the theories of enlightenment philosophers, individuals can not change society. Tessie Hutchinson from “The Lottery,” tried to persuade her village that the tradition was wrong, but she faced death. While, Harrison from “Harrison Bergeron,” tried to overthrow society's ideas, through atrocious actions. The philosophers believed that the governors of society should be responsive and secure rights for the people. With this intention in mind, an individual wouldn’t change society because it is built around the individuals. Thus, individuals can not change their society because they don’t have power in numbers, they will be condemned by society if they try, and they shouldn’t need to change society if it is built to represent. An individual can not change society because he/she faces the …show more content…

The theories of many enlightenment philosopher suggests that the governors of society are meant to represent the individuals. If each individual is meant to be represent than there is no place for change. “Representation ensures that governments are responsive to the people” (Handout). This emphasizes that the government is made to satisfy each individual’s will. So if each individual’s requirements are meant, then there should be no need for change; thus meaning an individual can’t change anything because there is nothing needed to be changed. However, if an individual wanted to change in a structured based society, than he/she is just being selfish. He/she is doing it because it benefits himself and not the whole. This ties in with Rousseau’s idea that individual wills should be a less priority than the supreme goal. A well structured society based on individuals, will not need any form of

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580 Words | 3 Pages

There are so many similarities and differences between the stories "Harrison Bergeron" and "The Lottery". But basically, in "Harrison Bergeron" everyone is equal, nobody is smarter than anybody else, nobody is better looking than anybody else, and nobody is stronger or quicker than anybody else. This is because everybody wears handicaps to make everyone equal to each other. But basically, one boy named Harrison Bergeron takes matters into his own hands and goes against the government. The government basically makes all these people wear their handicaps all the time.

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500 Words | 2 Pages

The two short stories The Lottery and Harrison Bergeron are similar themes because they both question status quo and the tolerance of counterproductive social practices for the sake of obedience. In “The Lottery” there is a village that is blinded that they have maintained an old practice without even questioning its purpose or its rationale. The practice is there is only one winner of the lottery and that person is stoned to death. In “Harrison Bergeron” they want to be so equal that they make everyone wear handicaps so that no one can be stronger, smarter, or prettier than anyone else. The conditions are both cruel and senseless.

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368 Words | 2 Pages

The Lottery and Harrison Bergeron, both share common themes and differences in their stories. One would be that both societies claim theses “traditions give them unity and equality”. Another theme commonly shared is both stories show how people can be blind to tradition. Although these stories are similar they have their differences one being Harrison Bergeron tried dyeing like a martyr while Ms. Hutchinson died trying to save her own life. In both of theses stories society believes that their barbaric traditions bring them equality and unity.

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881 Words | 4 Pages

Karissa Klaassens Mrs. Cruz English 10 11 March 2023 Getting the Point Across Many people have tried to figure out what the world would be like if everyone followed the crowd, and no one thought for themselves. " The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, and "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut are two examples of short stories that are depictions of what the world would be like if everyone followed the crowd.

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580 Words | 3 Pages

The famed author C.S. Lewis once said,”Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” This is a statement that many can agree or disagree on. To some, it means that a ruling power or government could enforce rules and regulations on its citizens that are thought of as helping them, but instead making everything worse and are hindering them from making the society better. A counter argument could be that the oppression is helping the society become better. Some examples of this type of dystopian society are Harrison Bergeron and The Lottery.

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566 Words | 3 Pages

There are vast similarities, differences and irony between the two short stories Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Both regarded as classic stories that display how individuals are affected by society and the higher powers at be. Both "Harrison" and "The Lottery" describe situations in which individuals blindly participate in traditions for fear of consequence. They both share a likeness in theme, distinctly in terms of questioning the Status Quo, and the tolerance of counterproductive social practices for the sake of obedience. There is also a likeness in that both stories show two very resembling societies that aim to allege their unity through accustomed practices that induce more solicitude than to lead towards change.

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1108 Words | 5 Pages

Out of the the stories that are introduced “The Lottery” and “Harrison Bergeron” share a unique theme. In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” the society is under an operation of justice that does not treat their individuals fairly. In the short story “Harrison Bergeron” which was written by Kurt Vonnegut the individuals are also under unfair scrutiny in their society . These short stories were written within the span of ten years apart. “Harrison Bergeron” was first introduced in 1961 and “The Lottery” in 1970.

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426 Words | 2 Pages

Certain rules and traditions are placed to create order in society; although, extreme traditions can cause a corrupt society, instead of benefiting it will damage the society. “The Lottery” is a short story written by Shirley Jackson, one of the first examples of a dystopian society in literature. In the lottery, author Jackson, portrays a rural society from the past, that is unconscionable and corrupt, displaying immoral community caused by living in a bureaucratic dystopian society. This is displayed through characters actions and element’s. Analyzing the text for symbols and archetypes As the story progresses characters begin to incriminate oneself and show true colors.

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367 Words | 2 Pages

The story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, wanted us to acquire that the fear of change, and expressing your opinion can drive you to follow the crowd. This short story takes place in a small New England village on June 27th. A ritual called The Lottery was being practiced. A case in point, the author tells us, “Every year after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without being done.” (p. 1-2)

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564 Words | 3 Pages

What if you won the lottery and your prize was not money. In this small town of about only three-hundred people winning the lottery is not the way you wanted to seek attention. When the lottery comes around attitude changes for most people especially when you win the lottery. One person’s attitude changed drastically when she wins, while others do not even flinch at the sight of someone else winning the lottery.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

“The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson is a very suspenseful, yet very shocking short story. This story is set in a small village, on a hot summers day in June. Flowers are blooming, and the towns people are gathering for the lottery, which is a tradition the town does every year. As the reader reads the first paragraph they think this is a happy story. The title also says, “The Lottery” which is a word often used for winning something or receiving a prize.

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1226 Words | 5 Pages

In today's society, no matter where you are in the world we all have some sort of leader, no matter what form of government it is. Consequently, with that leader there are going to be certain limitations on what the people can and cannot do. However, that does not neccessarily mean that the people have no say and cannot take any action. It is all a matter of choice and whether or not the people are okay with those certain guidelines or laws. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Origin of Civil Society shows just that.

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989 Words | 4 Pages

Locke states that there are three types of power (paternal, familial, and political) and expresses his fear of the types getting confused. Political, which is the right to make laws or protection and regulation of property, is the most important to Locke as it directly concerns the good of the public. In his process of defining political power, Locke refers to the state of nature (natural instincts of people) as a state of equality in which no person has more power than another. He notes, however, that there is a natural level of universal law that exists in this nature and that people do not have license to abuse others. Locke proposes that natural law only calls for the punishment to fit the crime.

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832 Words | 4 Pages

No society is perfect so the individuals will always have needs to make it better or for them to benefit themselves. Individual’s needs are equal to society because individuals make up society; the individuals have to participate in the society for there to actually be one and whatever the individuals do affect the society. To have a well-functioning society you need individuals because without them then you would have nothing. Individuals need the society just as much as the society needs the

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731 Words | 3 Pages

Society does not exist independently without the individual. The individual lives and acts within society but society is nothing, in spite of the combination of individuals for cooperative effort. There are different approaches people can take towards the idea of changing or copying their function socially. For this reason, the society is the compound of both individuals with genuine ideas and those who copy to benefit society as well.

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