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Quiz about The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Quiz

Shirley Jackson is best known for her timeless short story, "The Lottery." This quiz is about Jackson's chilling, but thought-provoking work. Caution: this quiz contains spoilers.

A multiple-choice quiz by Map1964. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Map1964

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
364,349

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
818

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 45 (9/10), Guest 68 (8/10), Guest 68 (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What year was "The Lottery" first published? Hint

1820

1968

1948

1976

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Question 2 of 10

2. What day is the lottery held each year? Hint

June 27

Easter

December 25

January 1

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Question 3 of 10

3. In what time period is the story set? Hint

The 1850s

Modern day (the date of publication)

Pre-Revolutionary War

Ancient times

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Question 4 of 10

4. Why was Tessie late to arrive at the gathering to hold the lottery? Hint

She ran away but was caught and returned.

She started to leave town to protest the lottery.

She forgot what day it was.

She wasn't late--she was the first to arrive.

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Question 5 of 10

5. What does the box that holds the lottery "tickets" look like? Hint

It is a shabby black box, splintered, faded and stained.

It is a gold box covered in emeralds, rubies and sapphires.

It is a brass box, resembling a pirate's treasure chest.

It is a simple wooden box, with no paint or ornaments.

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was the original purpose of the lottery? Hint

No reason is given.

The small town was becoming overpopulated.

A ritual sacrifice to guarantee a plentiful crop.

The townspeople wanted to make one person rich each year.

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is Tessie's reaction when her husband is asked how many children the couple has? Hint

She demands that her married daughter and daughter's husband take their chances with the rest of the family.

She wants as many people in her family to draw, so they have more chances of winning money.

She demands her six-year-old son be excused from participating.

She instructs her husband not to answer the question.

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Question 8 of 10

8. How is the "winner" of the lottery selected? Hint

The person who draws the paper with the bluebird of happiness on it is the winner.

Each person puts half a ticket into the box. The tickets are then drawn by Mr. Summers.

He/she draws a piece of paper with a black spot on it.

Each person writes his/her name on a piece of paper and drops it into the box.

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Question 9 of 10

9. Where is the box kept between lotteries? Hint

Mr. Summers always kept the box in the attic of his house.

A special shelf had been constructed for the box in the back room of the town hall.

It had no special place. One year it was at the post office, another the grocery store, another a barn.

The lottery box was kept under lock and key in the town's bank vault.

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Question 10 of 10

10. What happens to the lottery "winner"? Hint

The "winner" is taken in back of the town hall to be beheaded by Mr. Graves.

The "winner" is stoned to death by the entire village.

The "winner" wins all the money in the town's treasury, although the amount has never risen higher than $52.75.

The "winner" is allowed to divorce his/her spouse and marry any other villager of his/her choice.

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 13 2024 : Guest 45: 9/10
Dec 12 2024 : Guest 68: 8/10
Dec 04 2024 : Guest 68: 10/10
Nov 28 2024 : Guest 84: 1/10
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 122: 4/10
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 120: 6/10
Nov 22 2024 : Guest 49: 9/10
Nov 21 2024 : Guest 77: 10/10
Nov 21 2024 : Guest 176: 9/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What year was "The Lottery" first published?

Answer: 1948

"The Lottery" was first published in the June 26, 1948 edition of "The New Yorker" magazine, the same month in which Jackson wrote it. The story received more mail than any other short story in the history of the magazine--most of it negative.

2. What day is the lottery held each year?

Answer: June 27

The day the lottery is held is significant for two reasons: 1)it is the day after the publication date in "The New Yorker" magazine. It must have been interesting to those first readers of the story to see the day's date on the story! and 2)The date plays into the reason the town holds its yearly lottery: making a human sacrifice to ensure a plentiful crop.

3. In what time period is the story set?

Answer: Modern day (the date of publication)

"The Lottery" is set in modern day America. There are references to tractors, a teen club and a Halloween program. This modern setting makes the brutal stoning of Tessie Hutchinson seem even more chilling.

4. Why was Tessie late to arrive at the gathering to hold the lottery?

Answer: She forgot what day it was.

Tessie Hutchinson's casual attitude toward the lottery is bizarre. It is odd that one could forget the day that she, or another member of her small community, will be horribly killed. These details make the story effective and disturbing.

5. What does the box that holds the lottery "tickets" look like?

Answer: It is a shabby black box, splintered, faded and stained.

The box is described as ..."no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained." Once one has read the entire story, the significance of the box being splintered becomes apparent.

6. What was the original purpose of the lottery?

Answer: A ritual sacrifice to guarantee a plentiful crop.

Although it is uncertain whether the people of the town are aware of the reason for the lottery as they have forgotten many of the traditions surrounding the lottery, Old Man Warner recalls there "[U]sed to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, Corn be heavy soon.'" This statement makes the lottery's purpose clear.

7. What is Tessie's reaction when her husband is asked how many children the couple has?

Answer: She demands that her married daughter and daughter's husband take their chances with the rest of the family.

When Tessie realizes that her family has been selected to be "finalists" in the lottery process, she demands that her married daughter and daughter's husband be forced to take their chances with the rest of the family. It is with this statement the reader sees that all motherly instinct evaporates in Tessie's fight for survival.

8. How is the "winner" of the lottery selected?

Answer: He/she draws a piece of paper with a black spot on it.

A single black spot signifies the winner of this appalling lottery.

9. Where is the box kept between lotteries?

Answer: It had no special place. One year it was at the post office, another the grocery store, another a barn.

It's strange that this box, that seems to hold so much significance to the villagers in our story, has no permanent residence. Perhaps no one wants to keep this box, that symbolizes death, a perpetual home.

10. What happens to the lottery "winner"?

Answer: The "winner" is stoned to death by the entire village.

Everyone in the town participates in the stoning of the lottery's winner, including that person's own family. Someone even supplies Tessie's six year old son with some pebbles. Our story ends with Tessie screaming, "It isn't fair, it isn't right."

Source: Author Map1964

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