Essays on Shirley Jackson

Dating back to before written history and even earlier than oral known history, people have always had names. Names are and will continue to be a prominent part of our culture as they are essential in everyday life. As soon as a baby is born,...

Shirley Jackson authored “The Lottery” short story in 1948. This is among her numerous short stories, poems, and other writings which entail her passion. The story has held numerous negative reactions from readers since its publication. The story seems to be controversial as it has...

Shirley Jackson, an American author, is known for composing a highly controversial tale about a village’s annual death ritual in the short-story, The Lottery. Though this chronicle seems horrid, Jackson reveals that in a coherent society, conformity is always lurking leading to the most barbaric...

The story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson was published on 1948. Villagers from an unknown time followed a twisted and inexplicable tradition. Jackson contemporaneously unravels the setting of a fresh warmth summer day, where people meet in the square between the post office and bank...

Traditions help people feel connected to their past, or their way of life. Whether those traditions are good or bad, people are hesitant or fearful to change them because of the unknown. People may not understand why these traditions are set in place or why...

The themes of the supernatural and mental illness have gained much popularity in many of the novels and series that we watch today. The Leftovers and The Haunting of Hill House talk a lot about mental illness, but say very little. There is a strong...

Haunted residences are a ubiquitous trope in Gothic literature, from the imposing castles of 18th century English tales towards the unwelcoming haunted houses of 20th century American novels. In Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959), which Stephen King heralded as one of “the...

Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” presents the reader with a seemingly idyllic town that actually participates in a horrific annual ‘lottery’ event. The story can be considered as part of the horror genre, as the characters in the story blindly follow a tradition that...

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” tradition is followed without question, however the people of the town may not fully realize just how sickening their actions truly are. This work of literature demonstrates how society can blindly follow tradition, thus, blaming the innocent, and further causing...

Not one human being was born with evil intentions. Most of us are born to obey our family’s traditions, whether good or bad. Some of us have the choice to break the tradition or we are forced into it. That was the case for a...