The Lottery

My AP class after reading Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", a bizarre short story I've studied and taught for years. After discussing tradition and culture, we read the story. In it, the "winner", denoted by drawing a slip of paper with a dark circle drawn on it, collects her...er, winnings, in the form of being stoned to death by the rest of the small town. I had the entire class draw a folded piece of paper before they started reading, with one of them holding the paper with the dark circle. After finishing the story, the students revealed their notes. Poor Naomi held the "winner," and the class wadded up the ballots, and descended on her. Some took great delight in pelting her with the paper wad; others held back, like Collette, next to her, and Erica, behind. We all still love you, Naomi.