How to Write an Essay

Melissa Machado
Mrs. De Bartolo
ENG 2D1
Monday March 17th 2014

What are Your Odds of Being Stoned?

The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins and The Lottery written by Shirley Jackson are two stories that value tradition. Tradition is valued to such an extent that even those who do not agree keep quiet. The Lottery is about a group of town’s people drawing slips of paper praying they do not get the paper marked with the black dot which means immediate death.   The Hunger Games is about an annual reaping taking place in District Twelve.   A reaping like no other, the protagonist Katniss Everdeen volunteers to participate in the blood bath competition in place of her younger sister Prim.   Katniss places herself in a situation with very minimal chances of survival.   Both authors demonstrate the value and harms of tradition in both stories. Despite elements such as theme, characters and setting could not be any more different
Although both stories share the same topic that is tradition and how nobody thinks to challenge it, the two detailed stories portray very different themes based upon this one topic. Suzanne Collins and the directors of The Hunger games take audience members and readers on a journey all about the love and sacrifice Katniss Everdeen demonstrates. Katniss demonstrates true sacrifice by volunteering to participate in the annual hunger games in place of her sister Prim. The love she has for her mother, sister and dear friend Gale is what is pulling her through the competition.   Suzanne did a phenomenal job of leaving readers and viewers with the message that humans will do anything for their loved ones even if it means sacrificing something as important as our own life in Katniss’ situation. On the other hand, The Lottery’s theme was strictly on the damages and horror of tradition itself.   Due to the lack of rebellion against this harsh tradition Mrs. Hutchinson was stoned to death. The death of Mrs. Hutchinson will not only affect her...