The Lottery Essay, Research Paper

In Shirley Jackson?s “The Lottery,” she uses the element of surprise. The way the story

ends is unlike anything anyone could predict. There are however several alternative ways

the story could have ended. The following is one possible alternative ending to “The

Lottery”. Everyone was prepared. Thirty minutes prior to the drawing, the villagers

started collecting the best and largest stones they possibly could. Mrs. Dunbar picked up

a handful of pebbles and stuffed them in her pocket, she than chose a stone so huge she

had to pick it up with both hands and it made it difficult for her to walk. Mrs. Delacroix

collected some small pebbles and made it just in time. Bill Hutchinson went over to his

wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand. It had a black spot on it, the black spot

Mr. Summers had made the night before with the heavy pencil in the coal-company

office. Bill Hutchinson held it up and there was a stir in the crowd. “All right, folks,” Mr.

Summers said. “Let?s finish quickly.” Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and

lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the

boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground that the villagers had

prepared earlier along with blowing scraps of paper that hod come out of the box. Mrs.

Delacroix picked up the huge stone she selected earlier and turned to Mrs. Dunbar.

“Come on,” she said. “Hurry up.” Tessie Hutchinson was in the center of a cleared space

by now, and she held her hands out desperately as the villagers moved in on her. “It isn?t

fair,” she said. Just two seconds before everyone started hailing stones at her, Old Man

Warner yelled out “STOP!!” “Everybody STOP!” The villagers turned to him in shock

and disappointment. Conversation broke out among the crowd. “What the hell is he

doing?,” Mr. Summers asked in anger. Old Man Warner? Of all people? “I demand we

stop this absurd behavior!,” replied Old Man Warner. “Why kill this woman?” he asked.

“She has not done anything wrong, what about her children?” “What? Did you just say we

should not kill Tessie? What about the tradition?” asked Mr. Summers. “To hell with

tradition,” replied Old Man Warner, “This is absurd.” Finally the villagers agreed, and

Tessie?s life was spared.