Essay Example: Comparing and Contrasting Characters in “The Lottery” and “The Rocking-Horse Winner”

Comparing and Contrasting Characters in “The Lottery” and “The Rocking-Horse Winner”

1. Introduction

1.1 Hook and context for both stories

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and D. H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” protagonists find their fates shaped by forces beyond their control: communal tradition in one, familial expectation in the other. Jackson’s tale unfolds in a seemingly idyllic village where an annual ritual culminates in a brutal selection, while Lawrence’s narrative follows a young boy whose obsessive quest for luck reveals cracks in his family’s foundation. Both stories probe how external pressures distort innocence into desperation and rebellion.

1.2 Thesis Statement

Both The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and The Rocking-Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence use characterization to demonstrate how pressures from family issues and societal influences forge the motivations and actions of the protagonists; however, they counter in how they are shown through their distinct experiences.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

2. Characterization of Main Characters

2.1 Tessie Hutchinson in “The Lottery”

Tessie Hutchinson emerges as a symbol of ambivalence within her tradition-bound community. She arrives late to the lottery, chatting casually with neighbors and treating the event as a harmless pastime. Yet when her family’s name is drawn, Tessie’s previously compliant demeanor fractures into urgent protests. Her shift from participant to victim underscores Jackson’s portrayal of an individual caught between societal loyalty and innate self-preservation.

2.2 Paul in “The Rocking-Horse Winner”

In Lawrence’s story, Paul is introduced as an earnest, wide-eyed child troubled by his family’s financial anxieties. Motivated by a desperate longing for maternal approval, he discovers that riding his wooden rocking horse in a frenzied trance yields prophetic insights into winning racehorses. This uncanny gift becomes both his purpose and his burden, illustrating how parental expectations can direct a young mind toward obsession.

2.3 Supporting Quotations

Tessie’s defiant cry—“It isn’t fair, it isn’t right”—reveals her sudden awareness of a cruel ritual. Paul’s anguished declaration, “I must find the winner!,” captures his compulsion born of love and fear. Though emerging in different contexts, these lines highlight how both characters vocalize their breaking points under external pressures.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

3. Character Qualities and Motives

3.1 Tessie’s fear, rebellion, victimization, innocence

At first, Tessie’s innocence is evident in her casual acceptance of the lottery as harmless tradition. When chosen, she experiences genuine fear and a surge of rebellion, challenging the community’s blind conformity. Ultimately, she becomes a victim not only of the ritual but of the very society she once served without question, embodying the conflict between personal morality and collective custom.

3.2 Paul’s desperation, determination, innocence

Paul’s youthful innocence contrasts starkly with his desperation to earn his mother’s love through financial gain. His determination propels him into a self-imposed trial of endurance on the rocking horse, where he believes each ride confirms his worth. In this way, Paul exemplifies how pure intentions can mutate into self-destructive compulsions when shaped by familial pressure.

3.3 Supporting Quotations

Jackson describes villagers participating “in complete silence, in rather a listless, affectless state,” exemplifying blind conformity. Lawrence’s Paul insists, “There must always be more money!,” demonstrating his belief in wealth as the sole path to security. These statements reveal each protagonist’s core motive: Tessie’s eventual revolt against unquestioned tradition and Paul’s unrelenting pursuit of luck.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

4. Character Emotions, Attitudes, and Behaviors

4.1 Tessie’s shift from indifference to distress

Tessie initially greets the lottery with cheerful banter, reflecting her indifference to the ritual’s darker purpose. However, once her lot is chosen, her composure crumbles into frantic appeals for fairness. This emotional volatility illustrates a universal human response: detachment in abstract communal acts, followed by panic when personally ensnared.

4.2 Paul’s anxiety and secrecy under familial pressure

Paul’s behavior becomes marked by furtive trips to the rocking horse, closed doors, and whispered pronouncements of horse names. His anxiety intensifies with each ride, driven by the hope that winning bets will secure familial stability. The secrecy of his actions highlights the shame and fear he associates with disappointing those he loves most.

4.3 Supporting Quotations

Tessie’s final plea—“You didn’t give me time enough to choose”—captures her terror when faced with mortal stakes. Paul’s hush of triumph—“The winner is Malabar”—reveals his faith in luck’s redemptive power. Both utterances, delivered under extreme strain, illuminate contrasting yet parallel emotional peaks.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

5. Conclusion

5.1 Restate thesis and summarize comparisons

This analysis has shown that Jackson and Lawrence craft characters whose inner drives are forged by societal or familial demands: Tessie Hutchinson embodies ambivalence turned rebellion under communal tradition, while Paul’s innocence and desperation reflect the weight of parental expectation.

5.2 Final insight on societal and familial influences

Ultimately, both narratives probe how conformity and affection, intertwined with fear, can warp individual identity. Whether through ritualized violence or obsessive fortune-seeking, Jackson and Lawrence compel readers to confront the latent power of collective customs and private desires.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Works Cited

No external sources were cited in this paper.