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The Prodigal Son In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

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The Lottery by Shirley Jackson wrote immediately after World War II describes the story of a small village that is still stuck to the tradition of employing the "lottery" (Oates, 2016). The lottery that came around periodically involved the coming together of the whole community where they would be grouped into families and would play a game if I may call it that involved the family heads choosing a piece of paper. A blank paper would mean that one has escaped the fate of the opposite kind of writing that had a black spot, with the spot one was supposed to be stoned to death. During this time, Tessie Hutchinson, wife to Bill Hutchinson was unlucky after the repeat of the process found her with the piece of paper with a black spot. In the story …show more content…

The prodigal son is conflicted by being around his home even though there are no clear reasons as to his quest for his share of the estates. His lack of prudence sees him spend all of his wealth and plunge into deeper levels of poverty that probably makes him lose self-worth working and dining in pigs food (Pierce, & Brian, 2016). His father is probably conflicted by his decision to leave as it seems immature the youngest leaves before the eldest. His elder brother, however, is skeptical about his return; it makes him angry to realize how his welcoming seems exaggerated than his loyalty and stay as depicted by him questioning his father about at least offering him a young goat to feast with friends. In reconciling the various conflicts, however, the youngest son introspected deeply within himself and decided to go back to his father and apologize asking for a bargain of being a servant. The father an optimistic fellow-a symbol of the Almighty – is benevolent enough to accept him back and carefully approaches the eldest son on how to receive back his younger brother (Pierce, & Brian, 2016). The tone by St. Luke is that of excitement and fun initially but trickles to nostalgic when the prodigal son starts to think of his home and shifts again to fun upon the arrival back

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