Winning the lottery equals death. Likewise, in D.H. Lawrence’s short story, “The Rocking Horse Winner,” winning at the horse races also leads to death. Their different plots and themes belie the similarities between these two short stories, as both “The Lottery” and “The Rocking Horse Winner” use irony, symbolism, and characterization to convey the theme of conformity.
The main theme of both “The Lottery” and “The Rocking Horse Winner” is related to social pressure and conformity, as both Jackson and Lawrence warn readers of the price paid for blind submission… Continue Reading...
performers and a household name would have seemed as outlandish as winning the lottery. Yet from his humble beginnings, Erik Weisz reinvented himself into the man known around the world as Harry Houdini and propelled himself to fame—sometimes literally. What’s more, Houdini reached his goals the old fashioned way: through hard work. Years of toiling in circuses eventually allowed Houdini to get his big break in New York City, and from there, he made history. His feats of magic and physical prowess have made marks on millions, inspiring people young and old to pursue their dreams and reach what others claim… Continue Reading...
goal of instilling a foreign language in a young child. It is akin, to many parents, to "winning the lottery," as Mr. Grant puts it. Even with the focus on this, Grant asserts that very few child "prodigies" become adults that change the world, even if things go generally well for them. With that in mind, Grant focuses on children that become creative in light of what they are exposed to, asked to do and what they learn. So often, the gifted will conform to the norms and patterns of society rather than break out and make their own path. They will be much more likely to… Continue Reading...
