COMPARISON OF TWO STORIES 2
Comparison of Two Stories
The plot and conflict that exist both in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, and The
Destructors, by Graham Greene, are conducted by a cold discussion that defies moral values. The
characters are often discussing elements that defy people's moral intuitions, leading to
conclusions about blind obedience and peer pressure. In The Lottery, people participate in a
traditional event called the lottery in which one member of the community is chosen to be stoned
to death. In The Destructors, a gang engages in the destruction of places and buildings. In each of
these stories, the characters discuss the moves to be taken, as the reader is baffled by the lack of
moral considerations. The actions are calculated in a way that only considers the practical
consequences, not acknowledging the ethical realm of these actions.
1. Comparison of the conflict and plot of both stories
A. Practical implications are discussed; ethical ones are almost neglected
B. Some characters point briefly to ethical considerations
C. Peer pressure seems present in both stories
D. Actions that radically challenge people’s moral notions are taken as ordinary
E. Characters seem to be discussing the weather while doing atrocities
F. The Lottery defies the reader’s moral intuitions more, as it deals with barbaric
practices
G. The Lottery is less clear about the reasons why people engage in such actions
H. The Lottery seems to suggest that people are following tradition blindly
COMPARISON OF TWO STORIES 3
The stories present a scenario where moral considerations have little room, with the
characters being compelled to act in immoral ways. In The Lottery, although people are engaged
in the choosing of a person to be stoned to death, the dialogues present the conflicts of a normal
election: "...that was done pretty fast, and now we’ve got to be hurrying a little more to get done
in time" (Jackson, 1948, n.p.). Some characters in both stories seem to be concerned about
ethical implications, however. In The Lottery, people sometimes refer to the lottery as unfair.
When it comes to The Destructors, the ethical reference is less clear, with characters being more
concerned about being caught: "They’d never know. We’d do it from inside" (Greene, 1954,
n.p.). In some sense, the reader is left with most of the ethical reflection, as the story only
presents the facts. One might think of blind obedience and peer pressure when reading both
stories.
In both stories, important characters are conducting a morally questionable act, but they
think of their own actions as ordinary and simple. People in The Lottery often remind the others
that they should finish the even fast, allowing others to go back to work. In The Destructors, a
similar approach to the act is observed: "Mike said, “I’ve got to go home for dinner" (Greene,
1954, n.p.). Robinson (2019) argues that the blind obedience in The Lottery refers to the
Holocaust. In both stories, people face morality being neglected, with some goals being
discussed coldly, without little reference to ethics. When it comes to moral significance, The
Lottery is more profound, as it deals with human death. The story deals with a practice that is
considered barbaric today, but the village is portrayed as dealing with something ordinary. In
The Destructors, the actions can also be regarded as immoral, but the conflicts with the reader's
moral intuitions are less strong.
COMPARISON OF TWO STORIES 4
When it comes to practical reasons, The Lottery points to tradition as the sole reason for
such an atrocity. People in the story are participating in the lottery simply due to the fact that is
done for many years. In The Destructors, the idea of tradition is less present, with characters
destroying the buildings for more explicit reasons.
In conclusion, both The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and The Destructors by Graham
Greene present narratives that defy conventional moral values. The characters in these stories
engage in cold discussions, almost devoid of ethical considerations, leading to acts of blind
obedience and peer pressure. The lottery in Jackson’s story involves the stoning to death of a
chosen community member, a practice that challenges moral intuitions. Similarly, the gang’s
destructive actions in Greene’s text lack ethical reflection, focusing solely on practical
consequences and the avoidance of detection. The dialogues in both stories reveal a disturbing
indifference to morality, with characters treating morally questionable acts as ordinary and
simple. Despite occasional references to unfairness or concerns about being caught, ethical
considerations are largely neglected.
The reader is left to grapple with the ethical implications, highlighting the theme of blind
obedience and peer pressure prevalent in both narratives. While both stories depict morally
questionable actions, The Lottery delves deeper into the theme of radical challenges to people’s
morality, as it discusses the profound moral significance of human death, portraying a barbaric
practice as ordinary. In contrast, the immorality in The Destructors is less explicitly confronted,
with conflicts against moral intuitions being somewhat subdued. The narratives force readers to
confront the unsettling reality of actions conducted without ethical regard, highlighting the theme
of moral neglect and the powerful influence of societal norms on individual behavior.
