Similarities Between The Lottery And Saboteur

Throughout the twentieth century, citizens of many countries have fought for their personal rights and freedoms. But not all places have experienced expansions of freedom, and they stand as a threat to the free lands--they stand as an example of what could easily be. This fear is exploited in two short stories that are set in very different places: Ha Jin’s “Saboteur” which is set in communist China and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” which is ostensibly set in mid-century, small-town America. In both “Saboteur” and “The Lottery” short stories, the citizens allow themselves to be controlled by a larger force, be it their political government or their traditions. It was obvious that all of the citizens have choices on where they should stand--

In this story, Jin noted about how family communicated with each other, “[...] “shut up, Tessie,” Bill Hutchinson said.”” (7). This phrase of a conversation shows the impoliteness to one another. In the text, it also stated about their actions within families, “Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand” (7). If they care about each other, their action should not be rough with each other. Their characteristics of their actions and words show the relationship that these people have within their families. And it was not a caring-and-love one family relationship. They let their tradition tear family apart, which they can stop if they are willing to do it. Throughout reading this short story, it informs the audiences that each individual character in this story have similar characteristics--loneliness-- except children, who does not fully understand family bonds. This story also shows their appearance of selfishness. When someone wins the lottery, they think it’s okay to do the tradition. However, when their time come to face the tradition, they start to point out how unfair the game is. It shows that when a person life is on the line, he or she starts to fight for it. A lesson that audiences can learn from these characters is self life is more valuable

During a mess situation that happened in “Saboteur,” the setting was described as a small town, nothing magnificent places to roam around for honeymoon. Jin noted about a place, “the air smelled of rotten melon. A few flies kept buzzing above the couple’s lunch [...] young women, representing the local hotels, held up placards which displayed the daily prices [...]” (179). The author noting to describe the place is to show that this is place is a small city or town, that places to stay are cheaper, and people sales their fruits and advertise their hotels with using people. There are no such thing as TV ads or other medias that this modern days uses technology. The setting is established with unornamented place for honeymoon. Also this place seem like a place where democratic government services were not involved in. In democracy country, soldier, officers, and police are meant for nation--citizens protection. However, in communist country, people don’t really have a say to anything and the government formed like militarism because police and other military forces have power over