Arguments Against India As A Single Nation Religion Essay

Arguments Against India As A Single Nation Religion Essay I have tried to understand this topic and share my insights for the same. I have tried to deconstruct the topics in different subject areas. I tried getting an opinion on those subject areas and then link them to have a holistic view of the topic. Before I share my comments on the dictum Unity in Diversity , lets look at India in general. India is imagined in a plethora of ways. The political ideology always has an impact on the nation. A nation exists because of the people. The pathos and ethos which binds them together and makes them move towards an ideal state of affair is long and testing. There are moments of glory in the history of a nation when all political parties rejoice and encourage activities which benefit the image of a nation. For instance, The Nobel prize awarded to Amartya Sen in 1998 when he transformed economics into a moral science in which he targeted many public policies like education and hunger. The same policy has been adapted to the framework of India and used for development by ruling politics. There is need of Innovators and entrepreneurs like Sen who can lead India to a state of absence of malnutrition, illiteracy and poverty. Behind the deathly blows of caste rivalries and religious feuds is a stark reality of limited resources. Behind the demand of a separate land is the desire for reco gnition and growth opportunities. Only, if the political system could design policies to combat it! I strongly believe in the dictum Unity in Diversity. I would like go about in a theoretical and later, practical way in justifying the same. India is a vast country in which people belonging to different religions, castes and creeds live together. Though usually they live in harmony and co-operation with each other, sometimes the harmony is disturbed and disturbance creates many social problems. In order to bring the people belonging to different religions together and in a bid to bridge the gap in cast differences, the countrys social reformers have made positive attempts to forge unity in diversity. India is the cradle of many cultures. In this ancient land, the people belonging to different cultures are living together preserving their own culture and cultural unity, In spite of the fact that there is an apparent disunity in the country, basically there is cultural unity which is visible in every walk of life. It is on this account that it is said that in India there is unity in diversity. India is a land of many religions. There might be different factions and sub sections from the main streamline and that might prima facie give an idea of religious disunity, but on the whole there is unity in so far as each religion is concerned. We basically believe in the theory of dharma and karma. The theory of rebirth and purification of soul, salvation and the philosophy of hell and heaven hold s good every where. Respect for mosques, temples churches, Gurudwaras and religious gods and goddesses is prevalent. A multitude of gods and religious practices, the existence of hundreds of groups called castes, variety of foods and clothing and different types of kinship organization, which one finds in India, create an impression of a bewildering variety impossible to classify and of a society divided into innumerable tiny compartments. Many anthropologists, especially those dealing with the phenomenon of casts, have described this a illustrating the fissiparous tendency of the Indian society, while others have called it horizontal segmentation of the society. Indian philosophy is a product of the Indian society, and reflects the various cultures which have blended together after the time the Aryan entered India. The developed and elaborate rituals on the one hand, and the monistic philosophy on the other, are not an evolution of purely Aryan tradition, but a product of the fusion of the Aryan and the non-Aryan. While the region west of Punjab and including the present Delhi region seemed to be the region of the development of early Aryan thought, the central and the eastern Gangetic plain to the north of the river Ganga was the region of the rise of new specta, culture -contact, culture-confilict and final fusion. Changes have occurred in the overall conception of the gods and modes of worship, and ideas of purity. There are also in existence different modes in different regions. These changes are not due merely to internal evolution. Neither are they due to continuous fission of religious bodies. Independent groups living in the same continent were practicing different modes of religion. The overall changes are due to gradual ascendance of new , non-Vedic ideas, and the existing differences are due to interaction of independent groups who kept their separateness and reacted to each others cultural capital in different ways. The early Aryans themselves racially mixed, and showed a certain catholicity in taste, but the later conquerors, like the Mughals and the fairer British, have made public preference to fairness of complexion in women, though extreme fairness of skin in men is not valued much, at least in the south. Details of formal art forms, like rhyming, are different for different regions. In classical poetry there was no end-rhyming. In Prakrit poetry, especially in Marathi and sometimes in Ardhanagadhi, one finds the end-rhyme. Apparently, this practice influenced Marathi poetry, too. In the neighboring Karnataka, however, we have line which have a rhyme in the beginning and not at the end. All these differences, and also those in dress, ornaments, decoration of house, and food are partly regional, and partly found also in different castes of the same region. It is necessary to study this multiplicity region by region, and it will unfold a tale of cultural conservatism as also cultural borrowi ngs and changes due to cultural adjustments between separate ethnic groups. The peculiarity of Indian social life is that ethnic groups have lived separately from one another. They have devised a mode of inter-group behavior which avoids mutual interference or merging so that the identity of the original group is not lost. There has been fusion. There has also been fission within large groups, but the main cultural feature is the retention of group integrity. This type of social organization made it possible for certain groups to progress while certain other groups became progressively primitive. Although Indias present Constitution has many flaws like separate provision for different castes and creeds, particularly those who are backward and are schedules in the Constitution, the recent industrialization processes and agrarian reforms have brought about a new secular outlook which has given rise to the promotion of a new culture. The new generations of all cases, communities, religions, and sects are getting chance to come together in farms, factories, educational institutions, universities and government bodies for employment. This coming together has caused a blending of different cultures, emanating from difference communities or tribes, under the impact of modernization. Traditional rituals of the older generation are no more in vogue in the new secular communities which are coming up. The unity of interests and attitudes in economic, social and political fields is helping to accelerate the social processes which are giving common values, cultural traits, art forms, arch itecture, music and dramatics. All modern art activity is assimilating the basic cultural values of all tribes, and giving rise to what may be called national culture. However, our national problems lie in inability to distinguish between cultural imperatives and administrative and economic necessities to find out how a nation be built up from the foundation of cultural multiplicity. Each religion preaches purity of character, benevolence and piety along with honesty. Religious books are shown respect and honor by all. The people go on pilgrimage with respect and reverence. There is always devotion in prayers and so on. Basically all religions believed in religious toleration. In this way there is religious unity in the country. In India there is now great cultural unity. Indian philosophy of life, literature, customs and traditions are basically the same. The institutions like those of marriage etc. are found throughout the country. There are certain rituals and sanskaras which are observed throughout the country. Similarly there are many festivals which are celebrated with great zeal and vigor throughout India. We find a kind of emotional unity in the country. The very name of India or Bharat Mata brings us emotionally closer to each other. Though in India there are different languages and each language has its own literature, yet Sanskrit brings all emotionally together. We treat and consider Sanskrit as the mother of all Indian languages and that brings us emotionally together. Permanent elements of Indian culture are: Maximum stress is laid on spirituality and not just on the earning of wealth. Maximum stress has been laid on religion. Dharma or righteousness is promoted. A dharma or injustice should be checked. We are also reminded that even gods take birth as human beings to check the spread of a dharma and kill those who stand in the way of dharma. All along India culture has taught us to follow religious toleration. It implies that every religion must be given an opportunity to observe its ideology and viewpoint. It also means that every other religion must be shown respect for what is good in that. There should be no violence in religious affairs. Capacity to absorb all good cultures should have that capacity. Hinduism comes to the forefront in this respect. It has always either completely absorbed them or largely influenced all cultures. Indian culture is very wide I its approach to every problem. It lays stress on religion, spiritualism and salvation, without ignoring material and married life. It has always said that the people should be led according to Dharma. Stress on freedom of thought and expression, Hindu culture has always believed that culture becomes rich when the people have freedom of expression. Thoughts and expressions will enrich the culture and that will become dynamic. The unity to the desired extent is not achieved as there arise serious hindrances to national unity. Regionalism is not great hindrance. It implies that the region is above the nation. It should only be developed and the people of that region along should be given the benefits of their development. The region should have maximum autonomy in running its own administration. Regionalism should promote love for the region as well as for the nation as a whole. Now coming to the arguments put forth by Ramchandra Guha in his thoughts about India being an unnatural nation , or being a single divided nation. I think he does have enough examples to illustrate the fact that , yes India is a divided nation after all. The main aspect to understand here is , which factor is more overbearing. Nations are made of two things- Memories and Amnesia. The forgotten memories are best buried together by opposing groups and the good memories must be shared and cherished. Only then is kinship born .However, reality is different. Even if some people forget misfortunes, the rest never do. They pass it on to their successors, shaping their minds to avenge it. In India, secularism made its appearance not only as a concomitant of modernity and nationalism but also as an answer to communalism, another mode political with its pretentions to nationalism. The Hindu nationalism was a natural growth from the soil of India Jawaharlal Nehru wrote in the secular, modernist position and Muslim nationalism it inevitably comes in the way of the larger nationalism which rises above differences of religion and creed. While an ideal nation has images, policies and practices and its state continues to be debatable the nation state now has a powerful and tangible material, intellectual and spiritual force. Whenever an independent nation state is established, the connect with nationalism takes a backseat. This is due to the availability of resources for the oppressed, minority or unheard part of the population. Both Gandhi and Nehru believed that the idea of a nation as a singular space. Inspired from thinkers like Leo Tolstoy, Thoreau and Ruskin, Gandhis impeachment of modern civilization was a political project on behalf of India as a nation. An Important historical moment is the round table conference in London 1931-32, held for drawing the constitution for a future independent India. Gandhi went on a fast unto death in protest at Ambedkars attempt to have untouchables recognized as a minority community like the Muslims and Sikhs. This period is of great significance because it reflected the competing ideas about the legitimate place the citizenship of the community and the minority within what it meant to be Indian. Notions of fossilized communities, a majority Hindu population as well as liberal democratic ideals, had existed side by side in India for much of the nineteenth century. Prior to the insidious entry of the British, India was a wealthy nation also known as sone ki chidiya. The garments, the jewels and the food items were in surplus and of extremely good quality. India was imagined to be a prospering entity under rulers. The political instability gave way to British Raj, with the set up of the East India Company. The 200 years of British raj, had new systems introduces in the society like the land revenue system and postal system. These changed the lifestyle of Indians. Although the British did not consider Indians as civilized but the belief was that India is a close-knit nation and so they came up with the system of divide and rule. The much touted Swayamwar (selection of spouse by a princess in an open forum) is indicative of this deficiency and our total disregard for forging unity. Whereas matrimony amongst the royals in the Europe has always been an instrument of forging strategic alliances, Swayamwar invariably created more enemies than friends. All rejected princes and kings felt insulted, nursed a grudge and waited for an opportunity to take revenge to redeem their self-esteem. History bears testimony to the fact that every Swayamwar was followed by acrimony and internecine wars. Reverting to the role of the British, they never divided us to rule, simply because they did not need to. We have always been and continue to be a divided lot. Formation of states on linguistic basis was never attempted by the British. The Mandal Commission was not constituted or implemented by them. Nor was the Babri Masjid demolished by the British. The current agitation in Maharashtra has not been initiated by the East India Company. Caste based reservations and quota system, the prime splitter of the Indian body politic, were not invented by the erstwhile rulers. Nor are they preventing us from enacting a uniform civil code. The list is endless. We have a knack and penchant for generating innovative issues to divide ourselves. We are doing our best to ensure that we remain embroiled in petty bickering and internal dissentions. To us, our region, religion, caste and sub-caste are more important. Worse, we flaunt this narrow identity and give it precedence over nationalism. If after 60 years of independence, Kashmir and the North East are still not emotionally integrated with the country, the failure is ours.  Ã‚   Undoubtedly, the politicians are the fountainhead of all fissiparous tendencies. One does not have to be a visionary to predict the danger of abetting illegal migration from  Bangladesh  for garnering votes. North Indians in Mumbai are not welcome but illegal Bangladeshis can stay. If political leaders can imperil national security for the sake of power, they can stoop to any level. Sadly, they cannot be expected to change as they believe in the ends and not the means employed. To them, vote bank politics preclude letting countrymen stay united. Additionally, spineless and politicized bureaucracy simply follows their dictates and cannot be expected to deliver either. Immense damage is also being inflicted on the unity of the country by the media through its irresponsible and thoughtless reporting. For the sake of cheap sensational news, petty vandals are given the coverage befitting a mass leader. Every news item is reported with a religious, caste or creed slant a dalit girl molested in a Delhi bus (as if other women are not molested in Delhi buses) or church guard killed (in reality an argument between two security guards had turned violent) or Muslim driver runs over a boy (his being a Muslim is of no relevance). Thus I think , With all its problems and troubles, India always finds a way to hold itself together. India now has become extremely mature and practical about things. It does wait for a Cricket World Cup , Or a patriotic Bollywood movie to express its feeling of oneness , but the realization that being together , united , is the only way to progress and prosper has been established. So though I agree with M. Guhas arguments of India not being a single nation , I think thats essentially how India has been and will be. But the truth lies in the fact that we find our won ways to display unity and move ahead in our attempt to progress. India has learned to live with the fact that its a nation full of diversity and the tolerance levels hence created have made sure the diversity camouflages under the spirit of accepted oneness or uniqueness.

Literary Analysis †the Road Not Taken

Literary Analysis – The Road Not Taken Shannon Eads Carradine ENG 125 Instructor Allen March 11, 2013 Choices. Each and every one of us makes choices in our everyday life. We may not always make the right choice, but we learn and grow from the wrong ones. That is what life is all about; choices. In Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, he reflects on life’s choices. â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both/And be one traveler, long I stood† (Clugston, 2010).I am very familiar with this poem; one that I have known since childhood. I did not know it at the time what my great-grandmother was trying to express to me about this poem, but as I aged it became more and more apparent to me; she was trying to teach me about life and making the right choices. The tone of this poem is of ambiguous deliberation; meaning that the speaker (persona) is deep in thought pondering on which path he or she should take and whether or not i t is and will be the right path.The tone really sets the mood right from the beginning and flows well until the last stanza when it states: â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh† (Clugston, 2010). Although the speaker (persona) will be sighing when he or she tells the story of this important life decision, it is not a sigh of regret; it is a sigh of happiness. Although my great-grandmother read this poem to me in my childhood years, I have never actually read the poem myself. I was amazed at how this poem kept me intrigued and wanting to read it. This is very hard for me to do; wanting to read.So, I will say it did its job, so to speak. Frost starts the poem with: â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood† (Clugston, 2010). The two roads diverged symbolizes there are two different choices or paths; while in a yellow wood symbolizes the aging of the person. With that being said, taking the one less traveled by means that the speaker (persona) chose the best path for him or her at that time in their life. For it states in the poem: â€Å"And that has made all the difference† (Clugston, 2010) leads me to believe that he did indeed choose he right path for him or herself. The second stanza of this poem is full of contradiction. If one is just as fair as the other then how can one be a better claim than the other? And if both paths have been worn about the same, then why was the â€Å"better claimed† path grassy and in need of wear? Then again in the first line of the third stanza states: â€Å"And both that morning equally lay† (Clugston, 2010). This was very confusing to me because I could not figure out the concept of that idea and why the contradiction.It is almost as if the speaker (persona) is weighing his or her options and having problems in choosing a path. Although my great-grandmother read this poem to me in my childhood years, I have never actually read the poem myself. I was amazed at how this poem kept me intrigu ed and wanting to read it. This is very hard for me to do; wanting to read. So, I will say it did its job, so to speak. I believe I may have a whole new outlook on reading and may be able to let myself go on a journey inside some form of literature; more than music or television. I love this poem!It has the feeling of great knowledge; when we choose the right path in life, we will live in happiness. I often set back and reflect on all of the choices I have made in my life, but still wonder sometimes if it was the right choice for me at that particular moment. I believe we all, at some point in our life, ponder on that imaginative question, â€Å"What if? † Life is all about choices and making the right choice does make all the difference. Reference: Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey Into Literature. Bridgepoint Education Inc. , San Diego, CA: Retrieved from content. ashford. edu Literary Analysis – the Road Not Taken Literary Analysis – The Road Not Taken Shannon Eads Carradine ENG 125 Instructor Allen March 11, 2013 Choices. Each and every one of us makes choices in our everyday life. We may not always make the right choice, but we learn and grow from the wrong ones. That is what life is all about; choices. In Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, he reflects on life’s choices. â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both/And be one traveler, long I stood† (Clugston, 2010).I am very familiar with this poem; one that I have known since childhood. I did not know it at the time what my great-grandmother was trying to express to me about this poem, but as I aged it became more and more apparent to me; she was trying to teach me about life and making the right choices. The tone of this poem is of ambiguous deliberation; meaning that the speaker (persona) is deep in thought pondering on which path he or she should take and whether or not i t is and will be the right path.The tone really sets the mood right from the beginning and flows well until the last stanza when it states: â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh† (Clugston, 2010). Although the speaker (persona) will be sighing when he or she tells the story of this important life decision, it is not a sigh of regret; it is a sigh of happiness. Although my great-grandmother read this poem to me in my childhood years, I have never actually read the poem myself. I was amazed at how this poem kept me intrigued and wanting to read it. This is very hard for me to do; wanting to read.So, I will say it did its job, so to speak. Frost starts the poem with: â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood† (Clugston, 2010). The two roads diverged symbolizes there are two different choices or paths; while in a yellow wood symbolizes the aging of the person. With that being said, taking the one less traveled by means that the speaker (persona) chose the best path for him or her at that time in their life. For it states in the poem: â€Å"And that has made all the difference† (Clugston, 2010) leads me to believe that he did indeed choose he right path for him or herself. The second stanza of this poem is full of contradiction. If one is just as fair as the other then how can one be a better claim than the other? And if both paths have been worn about the same, then why was the â€Å"better claimed† path grassy and in need of wear? Then again in the first line of the third stanza states: â€Å"And both that morning equally lay† (Clugston, 2010). This was very confusing to me because I could not figure out the concept of that idea and why the contradiction.It is almost as if the speaker (persona) is weighing his or her options and having problems in choosing a path. Although my great-grandmother read this poem to me in my childhood years, I have never actually read the poem myself. I was amazed at how this poem kept me intrigu ed and wanting to read it. This is very hard for me to do; wanting to read. So, I will say it did its job, so to speak. I believe I may have a whole new outlook on reading and may be able to let myself go on a journey inside some form of literature; more than music or television. I love this poem!It has the feeling of great knowledge; when we choose the right path in life, we will live in happiness. I often set back and reflect on all of the choices I have made in my life, but still wonder sometimes if it was the right choice for me at that particular moment. I believe we all, at some point in our life, ponder on that imaginative question, â€Å"What if? † Life is all about choices and making the right choice does make all the difference. Reference: Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey Into Literature. Bridgepoint Education Inc. , San Diego, CA: Retrieved from content. ashford. edu

Diversity in America

The information I have interpreted from the United States about diversity has not help me to better over stand the, and relate to other different from the past. I would say that the diversity issue in this country has made me very aware that we as a country have a long way to go when it comes to diversity. The information I have processed and have been taught about diversity in this nation is how to effectively base upon other beliefs and upbringing to deal with biases.The information I have learned in this course that’s been the most insightful were the discussion question and the mix array of answer and point of views was expressed about various topics. This allowed me the opportunity to see first and the differences of opinions and reality. I have learned a great deal about the various struggles of my ethnic group and other ethnic groups during my studies in this class.It’s easy to get polarized in one’s own thought process and experiences without seeking over standing form others experiences who have suffered and victimized by prejudices and discrimination throughout history as well. Such as the Native American and the American Asian, are a small group of minorities who have experience in justice and a lack of acceptances in main stream American. I believe by the year 2050 the United States will have changed look and feel where immigration and demographics are concern. American will have changed significantly whites will no longer be in the majority.The U. S. minority population, currently 30 percent, is expected to exceed 50 percent before 2050. No other advanced country will see such diversity; most of America’s population growth will be among its minorities, as well as in a growing mixed-race population. Latino and Asian populations are expected to nearly triple, and the children of immigrants will become more prominent. Currently in the United States, about 25% of children under age 5 are Hispanic; it is estimated that by 205 0, that percentage will be almost 40 percent.Changing patterns of immigration have put the United States on a short road to a population diversity never before experienced by any nation—a population in which all races and ethnicities are part of minority groups that make up a complex whole. Bearing in mind that this nation at the same time, will be growing older; the aging population of baby boomers who are concerned about running out of money before they run out of life and about the increasing cost of health care will have a large impact of the future trends of America.These demographic trends will play out differently in different states and regions, with some areas seeing exploding populations while others experience declining based upon current studies. As America continues to grow more diverse; a huge challenge to overcome is the acceptance and over standing of each individual race and culture that makes up that’s great nation. It’s sad to see, that even t oday the lines of separation are far divided by hate and a lack of over standing. This lack will have a direct effect on our future and how will communicate and exist with each other.Diversity helps society to grow as individuals and open our minds to different ways of life. When we are exposed to different ways to live, we see how other cultures carry on we are no longer closed to the idea that we are indeed all different in some way, and those differences are beneficial to our changing world. Diversity also promotes more tolerance allowing people the opportunity to see other as a lesson of growth help us to accept other cultures, and even adapt some of their ways within our society.The differences that we have between us can be used to strengthen society as we know it. Diversity allows us the opportunity to learn, grow, understand new ways of living, and experience life to the fullest. Without diversity, we are closed off in our own worlds. But with it, we expand our knowledge and we are no longer ignorant. When you are aware of the differences and embrace them, then you have taken the blind fold off to living differently and you are a better person for it.The key is exposure and using what you learned to increase more tolerance and decrease things such as racism. Moving forward America can foster an environment and commitment of pluralism; teaching through acceptance and engaging with other from who are different. Without any engagement or relationship with one another pluralism can be achieve. We key way to see this happening is through the media. Because the media is known for polarizing people of color in a negative light they could start to report news fairly and accurately.Also changing their advertising and programming approach; without stereotypes and outlandish perceptions. Engagement with other creates a common society for all, diversity as a whole is pluralism plain and simple embracing each other for our differences. Yes, there are some people wh o still feel threatened by diversity, or even hostile to it. Throughout America history there have been groups that have expressed prejudice and intolerance toward people of color and cultures however as we grow as a nation we need to look forward to the day when all these differences fade away.The United States faces many challenges in diversity of its many people, and there is still a large percent of the population that supports racism and bigotry. If we don’t make these changes we will not be able to move forward in the United States racially and culturally; this is not just a problem with white people, it is a problem facing all the different cultures in the world because racism has many colors, fearing of something new scaring everybody, but with it comes change and I hope that we all could get along in this world and every one occupies.The world and United States has come a long way in battling this war on racism, but it is still has many miles to move ahead before peo ple could see that although different we are all people. The more diverse we become racially and ethnically, the more important it is that we learn to tolerate differences; and also to celebrate what we all have in common. Whether we came to the United States voluntarily or involuntarily, we all choose to live here now. And more people want to live here than anywhere else in the world.

Blind Obedience in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay

When Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† was first published in The New Yorker in 1948, it struck a nerve with readers. â€Å"The story was incendiary; readers acted as if a bomb had blown up in their faces . . . Shirley struck a nerve in mid-twentieth-century America . . . She had told people a painful truth about themselves† (Oppenheimer 129). Interestingly, the story strikes that same nerve with readers today. When my English class recently viewed the video, those students who had not previously read the story reacted quite strongly to the ending. I recall this same reaction when I was in high school. Our English teacher chose to show the video before any student had read the story. Almost every student in the class reacted with†¦show more content†¦In this, they were enacting a Mesoamerican tradition that originated far back in the region’s past† (Allan 19). Throughout more modern history, wars have been fought resulting in the deaths of millions. Murders and other violent crimes are inescapable. Throughout mankind’s history, it can be shown that man’s capacity for evil has no limits. But is this what troubles readers of Jackson’s story? â€Å"We cannot, in all honesty, make any serious claim that our own culture really abhors violence. . . . Modern society still feels the need to watch violent events, whether it be at a boxing match or spattered across the cinema screen† (Baker 5). Society today is bombarded with violence. There is graphic, and often gratuitous, violence in movies and video games. Most people do not give this type of violence a second thought. This may be because they know that the violence in the movies or games is not real, but â€Å"The Lottery† was just a story; it, too, was not real. So what is it about Jackson’s story that hits readers so deeply? What makes â€Å"The Lottery† so disturbing? For years, critics have been trying to answer these questions. Some have focused on the story’s symbolism, while others have focused on its relationship to the horrors of World War II. Jay Yarmove writes, â€Å"Coming after the revelation of the depths of depravity to which the Nazis sank in their eagerness to destroy other, ‘lesser’ peoples, ‘The Lottery’ upsets theShow MoreRelatedBlind Obedience in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1059 Words   |  5 Pages The author of â€Å"The Lottery† wrote this story â€Å"to shock the story’s readers with a graphic demonstration of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives† (Jackson 211). This story reflects human behavior in society to show how although rules, laws or traditions do not make sense, people follow them. Throughout the story the three main symbols of how people blindly follow senseless traditions were the lottery itself, the color black, and the hesitation that people had towardsRead More Essay on Shirley Jacksons The Lottery - Blind Obedience Exposed954 Words   |  4 PagesBlind Obedience Exposed in The Lottery    The annual ritualistic stoning of a villager in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery parallels tradition in American culture.   This paper will inform the reader of the effect tradition has on characters in the short story The Lottery and how traditions still strongly influence peoples lives in america.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christian weddings hold many traditions and superstitions that seemingly defy logic.   Although most couples no longer have arrangedRead MoreThe Blind Obedience in â€Å"the Lottery†2459 Words   |  10 PagesThe Blind Obedience in â€Å"The Lottery† â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson written and published in 1948, takes place on June 27th in a small town of three hundred people. Villagers gather together at around ten o’clock for one of the main rituals called ‘the lottery‘, which takes place in the central square. â€Å"The lottery was conducted as were the square dances† (Jackson 31) illustrating the timely scheduled event. It is a normal day with â€Å"the fresh warmth of a full summer day† (Jackson 1). The menRead More Inhumanity in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find and Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1133 Words   |  5 Pages In Flannery O’Connor’s, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† and Shirley Jacksons, â€Å"The Lottery,† both short stories deal with man’s inhumanity in different situations, and ending with a similar consequence. Jackson and OConnor both use two characters to depict man having the power to manipulate truth and objection into something people accept. In O’Connor’s’ A Good Man is Hard to Find, the Misfit is a character in need of desired assistance, troubled and confused he wanders savagely murdering strangersRead More Essays on Jacksons Lottery: Dangers of Blind Obedience Exposed684 Words   |  3 PagesDangers of Blind Obedience Exposed in The Lottery      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most of us obey every day without a thought. People follow company dress code, state and federal laws and the assumed rules of courtesy. Those who do disobey are usually frowned upon or possibly even reprimanded. But has it even occurred to you that in some cases, disobedience may be the better course to choose? In her speech Group Minds, Doris Lessing discusses these dangers of obedience, which are demonstrated in Shirley Jacksons shortRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1692 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson was a very popular American author in her time. Over the years Jackson s bizarre short stories have been receiving a substantial increase of criticism and attention. Jackson is most known for her short story â€Å"The Lottery†, which was first published in â€Å"The New Yorker† in June of 1948. Jackson s story had received tons of feedback, little which honored her writing, but majority that had belittled her. Jackson’s life was ve ry interesting for her time. Jackson was known as a depressedRead MoreExamples Of Humanistic Obedience In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1105 Words   |  5 Pagesunlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience.† (362). Jackson’s short story gave examples of how humanistic conscience and obedience can affect people’s actions. Obedience in this short story is demonstrated on three different levels as well having an overall obedience to the tradition or belief they have as a community. The townspeople in â€Å"The Lottery† act the way they do because the lack of humanistic conscience. â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson is an uncanny short story about a traditionRead MoreEssay on The Lottery1873 Words   |  8 Pages When â€Å"The Lottery† was first published in 1948, it created an enormous controversy and great interest in its author, Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco, California on December 14, 1919. When she was two years old, her family moved her to Burlingame, California, where Jackson attended high school. After high school Jackson moved away to attend college at Rochester University in upstate New York but after only a short time at Rochester and, after taking off a year from schoolRead MoreEssay on Human Nature at its Worst2540 Words   |  11 PagesWhen Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† was first published in The New Yorker in 1948, it struck a nerve with readers. â€Å"The story was incendiary; readers acted as if a bomb had blown up in their faces . . . Shirley struck a nerve in mid-twentieth-century America . . . She had told people a painful truth about themselves† (Oppenheimer 129). Interestingly, the story strikes that same nerve with readers today. When my English class recently viewed the video, those students who had not previously read theRead MoreCharacters Of Ra y Bradburys The Lottery AndAll Summer In A Day?1094 Words   |  5 Pagesinto challenging positions. This was especially evident in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery† and Ray Bradbury’s short story â€Å"All Summer in a Day†. In both of these stories the characters raise hell for the protagonists, compelling the reader to ask themselves what the motivation behind these cruel actions was and why the characters allowed themselves to act in such an unjust manner. Protagonist Tessie Hutchinson of â€Å"The Lottery† is stoned to death by her own townspeople who looked upon