Shirley Jackson was famously tight-lipped about her story's theme, leaving her audience confused, disgusted, and angry—but also incredibly intrigued! In this discussion, you'll work with your classmates to ask, and answer, questions that will help you to unlock the theme of the story. Take a look at Arnold's post.

Here's a question I have: I really think Old Man Warner is an important character to analyze if we wish to discover the theme. Why is his reaction to the lottery so very different from everybody else's? Why does he react so strongly (even angrily) to one woman's timid observation that "some places have already quit lotteries"?

Poses at least two questions that will prompt your classmates to think critically about the story's theme.