Lovin In the Cold Killin In the Heat Setting in Antlers and The Lottery
In both “Antlers” by Rick Bass and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the role of the rural town plays a large part in the stories. ... However, many factors of this small town setting differ, and it is these differences in setting that cause the major differences between the stories. ... Yet another setting-induced difference between the two villages is the particular traditions that occur, traditions that, while no one is sure of the exact motivation or meaning of them, reflect greatly on the setting, location and mindset of the particular characters involved. Finally, the role of women is most certainly reflected in the setting of the two stories. In “Antlers,” the main female character is a forceful, strong, independent, opinionated and most importantly respected woman named Suzie, who gets the men’s attention, keeps it, and is desired by the entire town. Such is not the case in “The Lottery,” as the female lead, Mrs. ... The drastic differences in setting, reflected in the climate, longetivity, traditions, and women’s role of each story, cause the differences in the two particular rural villages. The setting of the stories “Antlers” and “The Lottery” completely dictate how the two particular rural towns function. ... In “Antlers,” the villagers live in a very cold, northern, snowy landscape, probably in northern Michigan, rural upper Maine or possibly in the far reaches of Montana. The exact location of Bass’ fictional village does not really matter, so long as one understands the general idea that snow and cold dictate a large part of the lives of the villagers, and that the live in a heavily wooded, tucked away area. ... Because of the climate in the “Antlers” village, the main focus of the villagers seems to be that of survival and sustaining with nature. ... While very few clues as to the exact location of the village that “The Lottery” takes place in, Jackson does immediately state that in June, the village is “clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. ... There is no mention of families in “Antlers,” however, in “The Lottery,” families seem to be the linchpin of society. Children seem to be crawling out from everywhere in “The Lottery,” representing the future of the village and the hope that the ways and traditions of the village will carry on. The geographic location seems family-friendly in “The Lottery,” with the “teen-age club” and “square dances.” (715) No doubt, the people in “Antlers” probably had square dances as well, but the lack of any children in the story make teen-age clubs a bit difficult.