The Lottery

     In "The Lottery," by Shirley Jackson, the theme of stoning comes up.  The characters in this story thought it was perfectly natural to stone a fellow community member to death.  The children eagerly gather rocks in to piles before the drawing starts.  In the short film some of the children even try to gain a head start to the stoning by shoving some of the smaller rocks in their pockets.  This is a very odd theme to come up in this type of short story, especially since stoning isn't all that popular in the United States.  I think it is interesting that stoning comes up in this story for two reasons.  The first reason being that the concept of stoning is seen in the Bible.  I'm not a religious person, but I know this from reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, where a woman dies by stoning.  The killer is very religious and we learn the reason: "A woman who is a medium or sorceress shall be put to death by stoning."  This leads me to the second reason I find the theme of stoning in this book to be interesting.  Thinking of death by stoning in the United States reminds me of one thing: the witch frenzy in Salem.  Some of the people who were thought to be witches during the Salem Witch Trials were stoned to death.  Because of these two reasons, the theme of stoning can also be related to the them of the concepts of magic and superstition and their place in society.  Perhaps the characters in "The Lottery" keep on with the stoning ritual because of the magic and superstition that comes with it.  It is implied in the story that the farmers have good crops every year, so maybe the stoning continues because the characters relate it to their good crops.

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Charlotte Gilman
"The Yellow Wallpaper"

1. John and I finally made it to our summer house.  It's going to be a great three months!

2. Just spending my day enjoying the fantastic views the country has to offer : )

3. Happy Independence Day everyone!  Had a great day with great company!

4. So happy to have gotten some writing done today.  Not even this distracting yellow wallpaper can keep me from it!

5. I wish John was here today...it's tough being a physician's wife :/

6. Being in this house every day makes me realize how important redecorating is!  Found some neat ideas on
Pinterest today...what do you think of this new and improved yellow wall paper?

7. Never mind about the new wallpaper...I have found that I am quite taken with the current wallpaper.  

8. This is our last day here.  It's been a relaxing summer but I am ready to be back.

9.  I've made a last minute decision to redecorate after all!  Can't wait for John and Jennie to see it!

10. Note to self:  There are much easier ways to take down wallpaper then simply trying to rip it off.  Here is a good link for anyone thinking of taking down wallpaper from DIY Network.

"Girl" to "Boy"

Mud is not food; a slug is not a pet; be nice to the dog; put your dirty clothes IN the laundry basket; keep your elbows off the table; your dad is going to teach you to mow the lawn and be sure to mow weekly; check the oil in your truck often; be sure to know how to change a flat tire; pay attention in Hunter's Ed; wipe that dirt off your face; make sure your shirt is tucked in for church; try your hardest; respect your elders; hold doors open; buy your mom flowers; treat girls with respect; take off your shoes so you don't track mud through the whole house; shower daily; don't forget deoderant; clean your plate at dinner; be sure to call your grandparents and tell them you love them; watch football on Sundays with your dad.