Essay about The Life and Literary Works of Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1919 to Leslie and Geraldine Jackson. Her surroundings were comfortable and friendly. Two years after Shirley was born, her family with her newborn brother moved from San Francisco to Burlingame, California, about thirty miles away. According to her mother, Shirley began to compose verse almost as soon as she could write it (Friedman, 18). As a child, Shirley was interested in sports and literature. In 1930, a year before she attended Burlingame High School, Shirley began writing poetry and short stories. Jackson enrolled in the liberal arts program at the University of Rochester in 1934. But after periods of unhappiness and questioning the loyalty of her friends, she withdrew from the university.†¦show more content†¦Not until the year of her death in 1965-twenty-five years later- was the medal finally awarded to her-in absentia, since she was unable to attend the ceremony.(Friedman, 26) In 1940, after their graduation Hyman and Jackson, who had a relationship, were married. While living in Vermont, Jackson continued to write. One of her earliest times in Vermont later became material for her first book about the family, Life Among the Savages. Between 1945 and 1947, Jackson was occupied with her first novel, The Road Through the Wall. But it was in 1948 that her greatest success was achieved. The publication of the short story, The Lottery, brought fame, as well as letters from readers all over the country. But more often there were abusive letters from people who did not understand her motives or what she was trying to do. A year later a book entitled, The Lottery, was published containing an assortment of short stories including The Lottery. The critics by that time, had decided that Shirely Jackson was a writer of much talent and uniqueness. Even though Jackson was raising four children while her husband went to work, she still found time to write. Sometimes when a story idea would come to her, she would bolt off to her typewriter. Instead of fighting writing, as other writers do; she found the opposite; that writing was relaxing. In 1949, the Hymans moved to Westport, Connecticut. As usual she worked hard. Six of her stories were published in variousShow MoreRelated Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 PagesShirley Jackson is said to be one of the most â€Å"brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century.† â€Å"Her fiction writing is some of the most important to come out of the American literary canon.† (http://shirleyjackson.org/Reviews.html) Jackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraftRead MoreAn Unkindness of Tradition: Shirley Jackson ´s Biography1624 Words   |  7 Pagesliterature as an outlet from their personal life, from the struggles and hardships they face day to day. They enjoy the unknown of mystery and the unrealistic; it gives them something t o ponder and offers a way to discover an unknown world of imagination. Many authors take the different avenues in their writing. Some stir hope and optimism while others explore a morbid and daunting way of writing. A common form is that of suspense and mystery. Shirley Jackson takes mystery to a distinctive level. Read MoreUse of Symbols in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson981 Words   |  4 Pageschosen one well be stoned to death by everyone in the village; yes even the children. Gobellan4 In â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, she uses a manifold of symbol to represent an idea and to have a deeper meaning to each noun in the story. Some of the nouns she’s put in the short story are the characters and also objects. One of the main characters is Mr. Graves, which heRead MoreThe Unexpected Surprise of Violence1009 Words   |  5 Pagesawareness. But, life is valued poorly in the twenty-first century as another ordinary day of constant repetition. â€Å"You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen† (Coelho). Life becomes valued once risks are taken, but the outcome is never expected. Shirley Jackson, reader of witchcraft books, horrifies people with her perspective on the understanding of merciless rituals that kept communities at ease. Shirley Jackson develops herRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 PagesWhat if you read something that made you question your entire life? How would you react? A suspenseful gothic thriller told in fewer than 4,000 words, filled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, crea ted an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than threeRead MoreSymbolism in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay example1173 Words   |  5 Pageslottery in which the â€Å"winner† was the member of the town who was not sacrificed? This question is answered in Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery.† In reading this story, and reading literary criticism about the story, there were many symbols and much symbolism in this story. 1 Biographical Analysis Shirley Jackson was the only daughter of Leslie and Geraldine Jackson. Born in 1916, Jackson grew up in Rochester New York and went to Brighton High School. Eventually, she would graduate from SyracuseRead MoreEssay on Shirley Jackson and Her Short Stories631 Words   |  3 PagesShirley Jackson’s stories often had a woman as the central character who was in search of a more important life other than the conventional wife and mother. These characters however were often chastised for their refusal to conform to a woman’s traditional way of life. Much like her characters, throughout Shirley Jackson’s life, she also rejected the idea of fitting into societys perception of a womans role. Shirley Jackson was married to writer and literary critic Stanley Edgar Hyman. HymanRead MoreWinners Will Be Executed Short Story Analysis1085 Words   |  5 Pagesin their hands. However, that is not the case in Shirley Jackson’s world of â€Å"The Lottery†. In her critically acclaimed short story, a small town gathers in the village square and draws a name out of a box, and the ‘winner’ of their lottery is brutally stoned to death. All of this is done in a calm and orderly fashion, as well as without question. The lottery is a yearly event, and has been done for ages. â€Å"All of us took the same chance,†(Jackson) was uttered by the victim of the story, Tessie HutchinsonRead MoreAnalysis Of Jackson s The Lottery899 Words   |  4 PagesJackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† In the story â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, we see the different literary elements she uses to unfold her story. Literary elements help readers to interpret and appreciate the works of a writer. In this Essay I will show you the three most prominent literary elements that were used, and how they add to the suspense, and surprise of the story. These literary elements are point of view, theme, and tone and style. The first literary element of this story is the point of view, andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Rocking Horse Winner By Shirley Jackson1043 Words   |  5 Pages Conflicts Within and Sympathy Evoked in Two Short Stories: â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† by D.H. Lawrence and â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson Michael Jason Flowers Liberty University Outline 1. Introduction a. Thesis Statement: â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† by D.H. Lawrence and â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson are both short stories that present a conflict of society against its characters, but conversely depict very distinctive characters that trigger varying levels of sympathy from the readers