Theme Texts

Books

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

For decades, longer than any surviving citizen of the village can remember, there has been a lottery. One slip with a dot.

In order to keep the village successful and plentiful, the lottery is held every year. All citizens of the village attend. Inside a black box contains enough pieces of paper for every member of the village to select one and determine their fate. Whoever has chosen the slip with the dot has no choice but to succumb to the ultimate price asked by the lottery: their life. Jackson’s short story showcases how backward practices and traditions can seem when technology and modern notions are not adapted.

“The Lottery“

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

In this dystopic tale, women have all human and American rights stripped away from them. June Osborne, later known as Offred, is the lead female protagonist of the story; we follow June through losing her right to own land, money, have a job, keep her daughter, stay with her husband, or have any right to her body. This story showcases a strong and dynamic female protagonist, as well as a sea of social justice issues, most of which pertain to the lack-there-of women’s rights.

Films

The Hunger Games

While some will always say “the book was better,” it never hurts to have something to compare the book to.

Divergent

Another example of a strong female protagonist who has to fight for her life to not only save herself, but the people she loves. Some-what of a knock-off from The Hunger Games, but with fewer teens actually fighting to the death.

Poems

War is Kind by Stephen Crane

An ironic spin on war or a bright side?

Out of all the poems with the topic of war, this one is unlike no other — with lines like “Do not weep, babe, for war is kind,” students will have an opportunity to infer meaning from Crane.

Videos

“How WWII and Vietnam Veterans Were Treated Differently”

This History Channel clip describes the differences in how veterans were received back to the United States after tours in WWII and Vietnam. The differences are shocking. This distinction showcases how in times within our history, we have treated our outlook on violence and war very differently.