Comparative Literature - The Lottery vs. The Ones Who...

When comparing Shirley Jacksons The Lottery and Ursula le Guins The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, it is important to note that the two short stories are based upon suffering, its morality and consequences. Both pieces revolve around the agony experienced by one person in order to enhance the lives of many; turning a blind eye to the horrors of humanity for the greater good of all affected people. In The Lottery, Jackson utilizes a character vs. character conflict to publicly display the concept of having a scapegoat Ââ€" someone to be discarded after absorbing the sins of the entire community. In the story, Mrs. Hutchinson is randomly chosen by way of the lottery to become the sacrifice. Once it was determined that she was, in†¦show more content†¦They describe the fervent togetherness of both communities, citizens participating in rituals and festivals; the lottery and the parade, respectively. These events also hint strongly at a nuance of social conformity, which p lays an important role in the injustices that occur in both tales. It is because of this conformity that the stories clash Ââ€" the citizens of The Lottery do not question their actions, whereas those of Omelas Ââ€" those few people with a moral conscience and integrity Ââ€" not only question their actions, they reject them by leaving the community. The major difference between the two pieces is the narrative through which it is told. In The Lottery, the narrator is omniscient, portraying events in an almost fairy-tale like way Ââ€" comprehendible, but lacking verisimilitude. The viewpoint in The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas involves the reader, questioning the stories believability and challenges the reader to become aware of their own susceptibilities and doubts. After doing so, the narrator presents a blatant, jarring view of the city that is contrary to the prior description, which was surreal and bubbly. The reader becomes involved in the story and is immediately en couraged to draw conclusions and make judgments based on the events of the town. Le Guins description of the town is vague enough to allow the reader to personalize it, to live it and, inevitably, become moved by it, whereas The Lottery is