Shirley Jackson was famously tight-lipped about her story's theme, leaving her audience confused, disgusted, and angry—but also incredibly intrigued! In this discussion, you'll work with your classmates to ask, and answer, questions that will help you to unlock the theme of the story. Take a look at Arnold's post.

Here's a question I have: I really think Old Man Warner is an important character to analyze if we wish to discover the theme. Why is his reaction to the lottery so very different from everybody else's? Why does he react so strongly (even angrily) to one woman's timid observation that "some places have already quit lotteries"?

Poses at least two questions that will prompt your classmates to think critically about the story's theme.

active voice: my father cut the tree.

passive voice: the tree was cut by my father.

active voice: people buy newspapers every day.

passive voice: newspapers are bought (by people) every day.

active voice: people have been using movies as political propaganda since world war ii.

passive voice: movies have been used as political propaganda since world war ii.

active voice: donna gave me my birthday present.

passive voice: i was given my birthday present (by donna). / my birthday present was given to me (by donna).

active voice: mom will leave the keys on the counter.

passive voice: the keys will be left (by mom) on the counter.

the words in parentheses are the agent of the passive voice and can be omitted when obvious, generic, or simply unnecessary.

what lesson are you referencing?

the term that describes the best dear evan hansen

what are you asking i dodnt know