Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"

1. Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is one of the few pieces of literature that I will never get tired of reading. It was a very easy read because it is a story about everyday people and their traditions. The events leading up to the climax keep the reader on edge, and the surprise ending leaves the reader stunned yet marks a lasting impression on his/her memory. This is truly an American literature masterpiece.

2. There are many instances of foreshadowing present in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." At the beginning, the young boys of the town are seen picking up stones, either putting them in their pockets or creating a big pile for later use. The reader is left to wonder what the stones will be used for until the conclusion of the tale. Another instance of foreshadowing is the mood of the townspeople. All throughout the story, there is a sense of nervousness present in almost all the villagers. They laugh and smile at each other nervously, fumble the pieces of paper in their hands, and dart their eyes from one townsperson to the next in the hopes that the piece of paper with the black spot will not end up in any one of their hands. "The Lottery" is also a story about tradition. The village still adheres to the tradition of the lottery, even though the end result is the murder of the unfortunate victim with the black spot. The lesson that the author is hoping her readers to gain is that people hold tradition dear to their hearts and never let go. The story also reveals that humans, by their nature, are violent; although every villager hopes that he or she will not be the one who ends up with the black spot, they all have no problem carrying out the stoning of Mrs. Hutchinson. But the most disturbing part of the story is that everyone, even Mrs. Hutchinson's children, enjoy pounding her with stones, and that after the lottery is finished, since only a few hundred people live in the town, they will return to their homes to have their noontime supper, acting as if nothing had ever happened.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair

1. I thought that the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" was pretty good. It was a very easy read because it was a story of realism and familiarity. There were also some humorous parts in the story as well. All in all, it was a very enjoyable read.

2. What F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals about identity in his short story is that identity is a unique quality pertaining to everybody and should be treated with respect by everyone, including the individual who possesses his or her unique identity. Because of its special nature, identity is and should be static, but the person can also attempt to try and change it. Sometimes, other people will not accept someone's identity, and in order to be accepted, that person will change his or her identity and become a whole different person. But eventually, this transformation can cause problems because he or she pretends to be someone they are not, and that person learns to embrace his or her individuality. And in special instances, the person reverts back to his or her true identity while keeping some aspects of the fake one. In the end, Bernice does changes; she and her hair become one. In the 1920s, bobbed hair was a symbol of feminine rebellion and defiance. Bernice seeks her revenge on Marjorie by doing to her what Marjorie did to Bernice; Bernice gets back at Marjorie by cutting off her hair while she sleeps. She also takes revenge on Warren by throwing Marjorie's shorned locks on his front porch in the hopes that he rejects her in the same way he rejected Bernice. The original, long-haired Bernice probably would not have taken revenge on someone who would have embarrassed or wronged her.

John Updike's "A&P"

I though that John Updike's short story "A&P" was very enjoyable. Even though the writing style was strange, it is exactly how somebody the narrator's age would tell a life experience. The narrator was humorous as well; lines like "do you really think it's a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glassjar?" and "a really sweet can" and his nicknames for the girls (Queenie, Plaid, Big Tall Goony-Goony) are a few of these funny aspects. I would definitely recommend this short story.

The narrator of "A&P" is a nineteen-year-old boy named Sammy who works in a supermarket. He notices and is attracted to three teenage girls who are dressed like they just came from the beach. The manager scolds them for not looking presentable and tells them not to come in the store again until they dress properly. Sammy is angered by this and quits on the spot. What the narrator reveals about himself indirectly is that he automatically reacts to something he does not like or agree with without thinking about the reasons or consequences. It is not known if events like this happen often or if it was a first-time occurrence, but Sammy made up his mind that it was offensive enough to leave. He hopes that the three girls will view him as a hero for standing up for them. When he exits the store, however, they did not notice Sammy for they are nowhere to be seen. He also realizes that what he has done will also disappoint his mother and father. Hopefully, Sammy learned that one should calm down and think before doing something rash because the decision might be regretted later, and that sometimes the decisions you make sometimes go unnoticed by other people, even if you do it for their benefit.