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MLA
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Literature & Language
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English (U.S.)
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Topic:

Plot and Conflict in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Coursework Instructions:

Choose stories assigned this week and answer the following, supporting your ideas with quotes from the primary text:
Part I: What crisis leads to the climax? What is the final resolution?
Part II: Choosing a different text than Part I, discuss which of the 5 types of conflict are in the story. In which part of the plot arc (story arc) do you see each of the conflicts?
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
https://www(dot)newyorker(dot)com/magazine/1948/06/26/the-lottery
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce
http://www(dot)gutenberg(dot)org/ebooks/375
“Vampires in the Lemon Grove”
http://ezproxy(dot)apus(dot)edu/login?url=https://search(dot)ebscohost(dot)com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=nlebk&AN=747179&site=ehost-live&scope=site&ebv=EK&ppid=Page-__-6
“The Great Silence”
http://ezproxy(dot)apus(dot)edu/login?url=https://search(dot)ebscohost(dot)com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=nlebk&AN=1868206&site=ehost-live&scope=site&ebv=EK&ppid=Page-__-112
“Plot in Short Stories”
https://youtu(dot)be/rvq39spitU4
Plot and Conflict
This week, we will focus on two other important aspects of any good story—the plot and conflict.
Plot
Every plot follows a basic pattern. Please stop here and review the short video included in our Resources to understand the way a traditional story is structured. The order may not always be the same, but for most stories, they follow this story arc.
The plot is not interesting without a little drama! In literature, this is called conflict. The friction in the story is what provides the situation for the characters to move through the story, creating meaning as they experience life and make choices.
Conflict
In stories, conflicts have two main types: external and internal.
External Conflict
External conflict happens between a character and something outside him or herself. It can be broken into three main kinds: “man verses man,” “man verses nature,” and “man verses society”.
In “man verses man”, the conflict can take place between two characters. However, it can also be one character against many. In “man verses nature,” one or more characters must fight against a force of nature. The last type of external conflict is “man verses society.” A character is up against tradition, culture, or popular opinion.
Internal Conflict
Internal conflict is exactly what it sounds like. This is the “man verses self” that happens in the character’s mind. The character may face an internal struggle with their identity. He or she may also be struggling to overcome a personal issue or make a decision.
As the character faces conflict, the plot begins to unfold. It is important to note that there can be several types of conflict within the same story. The narrator in “A Pair of Silk Stockings” has a conflict with herself concerning how she spends her family’s money. It can also be argued that man verses society is a conflict since the culture of her time had very specific and limiting roles for women. Having more than one struggle adds dimension but also reflects life more realistically.
To help you discover the plot and conflict in a story, consider the following questions:
Who is the protagonist?
What motivates the protagonist? What is the protagonist’s goal?
Who is the antagonist?
What motivates the antagonist? What is the protagonist’s goal?
Why does the antagonist want to oppose the protagonist?
What happens because of the conflict between the characters?
Is there a conflict within one of the characters?
Is there conflict from nature or society?
Where is the turning point in the story? What causes it?
What is the main series of events?
Do events move in a chronological order?

Coursework Sample Content Preview:
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
Date
Plot and Conflict in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
Jackson shared a fictional story about an annual lottery in a small town that involves all of the dwellers in the area. The story shows how society can affect the mind of the people and how it shapes their decisions. Furthermore, the story elaborates how people can easily manipulate to do an evil act by imposing a simple rule.
The plot illustrates a contemporary society that is marked by choices—whether these are good or evil. Additionally, it demonstrates how people become reluctant of the choices initially but soon follow what everybody else does. And this is to choose a side. At first, some of the townsfolks are reluctant to choose because they might suffer from the cruel “tradition” of stoning the unlucky person who draws the paper with a mark. Despite their hesitancy, the townsfolks remained to be involved in the annual lottery event (Jackson).
Tessie Hutchinson is both the protagonist and antagonist of the story. She represents all the people in that small village, and anyone could have been like her, making her the protagonist of the story. Likewise, Hutchinson is the representation of society, which is the actual antagonist. However, Tessie could have become a part of society, given that she was not selected.
Like any other participant, the protagonist is motivated by nothing except that this is a tradition passed down to generations. This is despite not knowing the origins of this vindictive and purging event. Initially, Tessie was delighted to comply with all the rules of the lottery. After all, there is an extremely slim chance of getting handpicked due to the number of townsmen. Probably, the excitement of seeing someone perish at her hand or the thrill that she may or may not be chosen motivates her. It can also be the belief about “invincibility” dictated by Mrs. Hutchinson’s status in society. Tessie might want to prove that she can never be harmed by a petty lottery event. Apart from these, there is no other logical reason to explain how Tessie and the townsmen agreed to continue this nonsense event.
Similarly, society, including Tessie, has the same objectives. All the people can be motivated by fear, thrill, and feelings of indestructibility. However, the antagonists have the upper-hand at the end of the story. Unlike the real lottery where the victor wins the jackpot price (i.e., money, fa...
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