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The Lottery: A Symbolic Analysis

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“To put symbolism into a definition, it is when an object or an action has many layers of meaning in a story. These meanings may not be apparent at first glance, but will become more clear as they are considered throughout the story. The object or action’s meaning will be something other than simply it’s literal meaning” (Heichel). Symbolism plays a critical role in both “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Furthermore, the authors of both stories incorporated objects such as a black box and a mockingjay to have a much deeper meaning than their obvious literal meaning. Throughout both The Hunger Games and “The Lottery” symbolism is used in various ways to reveal a hidden meaning in the stories.
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In “The Lottery” the main character Tessie Hutchinson was given her name to symbolize another, Anne Hutchinson. According to the Anne Hutchinson Biography, Anne spread her own interpretations of the Bible which was against the governing ministers. Hutchinson was later tried, found guilty of heresy, and banished from the community. Likewise, Tessie Hutchinson stood up against the lottery by saying, “You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair!” (“The Lottery”). Tessie attempted to stand up against the lottery just as Anne attempted to stand up for her religious beliefs; ultimately, ending badly for the both where Anne was banished and Tessie was murdered. On the other hand, Katniss from The Hunger Games also has a symbolic name; “katniss is an edible aquatic plant also referred to as ‘arrowhead’” (Krule). Furthermore, this plant belongs to the genus Sagittaria which there is a constellation with the same name, Sagittarius, known as the archer. Ultimately, the definition of the plant and the constellation perfectly fit the personality of Katniss Everdeen. Katniss has impeccable bow-and-arrow skills which played a vital role in her journey throughout the hunger games. Therefore, Collins spent time determining Katniss’ name which perfectly fit her personality and role in the movie after all. Meanwhile, the two mastermind’s

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