Lottery and the Rocking Horse Winner

An Analysis of "Luck" in "The Lottery" and "The Rocking Horse Winner"

Both Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and DH Lawrence's "The Rocking Horse Winner" are stories about luck -- and yet in both stories that "luck" turns out to be rather unfortunate -- or, ironically, "unlucky." This paper will examine the concept of luck in both "The Lottery" and "The Rocking Horse Winner" and show how in both narratives there is something dark and malevolent at the heart.

"Luck" in Jackson's "The Lottery" is not quite what it seems, and at first the reader is led to believe that "winning" is something good. However, as the narrative approaches its conclusion and the sorrow of the "winner" becomes more and more pronounced, Mrs. Hutchinson's friends turn away from her as though she was cursed, and indeed Fate seems to be saying so. But why?

In...
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