Similarities Between Harrison And The Lottery

There are vast similarities, differences and irony between the two short stories Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Both regarded as classic stories that display how individuals are affected by society and the higher powers at be. Both "Harrison" and "The Lottery" describe situations in which individuals blindly participate in traditions for fear of consequence. They both share a likeness in theme, distinctly in terms of questioning the Status Quo, and the tolerance of counterproductive social practices for the sake of obedience. There is also a likeness in that both stories show two very resembling societies that aim to allege their unity through accustomed practices that induce more solicitude than to lead towards change.
Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut is set in a new American dystopian society where everyone is forced to be equal by the Government. The Government is afraid of smart free thinkers. A perfect example, In the line "He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous." That particular line portrays a perfect example of the higher powers fear mongering and overreaching with the physical

The citizens are not sure why they continue to keep up with the tradition other than they have always done it. In "The Lottery", the citizens of the town are blindly supporting the sacrifice. Tessie, the story’s main character, is the only one who thinks it is wrong. Hints throughout the tale, show that the villagers' tradition have become insignificant over time. It seems to be endless: no one knows when it originated, and no one can conjecture when it will cease to stop. It’s evident lack of history is what makes the tradition so potent. It is almost like a holiday that has lost its meaning. the people of the village can't even begin to think about questioning it or trying to change