The main characters vary. In 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle', Merricat is a key character. She has a rather odd and complex personality, and she's living in a situation full of secrets and unease. There are also often characters who represent the society or the group in her stories, like the townspeople in 'The Lottery', who together create the oppressive and scary atmosphere through their collective actions.
In 'The Lottery', Tessie Hutchinson is a main character. She's the one who gets singled out during the lottery. In 'The Possibility of Evil', Miss Strangeworth is a central figure. She's an old woman who has a dark side despite her seemingly proper exterior.
Often, there are ordinary people like housewives, small - town residents, or children. For example, in 'The Lottery', we have villagers who seem like normal, everyday people at first glance. They represent the average person who can be caught up in something very strange and horrifying.
One common theme is the sense of unease in ordinary settings. For example, in 'The Lottery', a small town with a seemingly normal annual event turns out to be extremely disturbing. Another theme is the power of social norms and how they can lead to cruel or unjust behavior. Also, the exploration of the unknown and the fear it brings, like in some of her stories where strange things start to happen in familiar places.
In 'The Lottery', Tessie Hutchinson is a main character. She's the one who ends up being the victim of the lottery. In 'The Haunting of Hill House', Eleanor Vance is a central figure. She's a rather fragile and lonely woman who is drawn into the mysteries of Hill House.
There are various main characters across the stories. Some are strong - willed women who are navigating through life's challenges. For instance, in some stories, there are female characters dealing with love and loss in a foreign land.
Well, in '10 Shirley Jackson Short Stories', one can expect a range of emotions. Some stories could be about the isolation of individuals. Jackson has a knack for creating a mood that makes the reader feel as if they are in the same eerie world as her characters. Her use of language is so vivid that it can draw you into the strange situations she creates, whether it's a haunted house or a community with a disturbing secret.
Some of Shirley Jackson's well-known short stories include 'The Lottery' and 'Charles'.
Her writing style is often marked by a sense of the uncanny. In this collection, she likes to build suspense gradually. For example, in 'The Lottery', she starts with a seemingly normal village scene and then slowly reveals the dark nature of the lottery.
There's Mr. Summers, who is in charge of the lottery. Tessie Hutchinson is also a main character as she becomes the central figure in the lottery's outcome.
Well, 'The Lottery' stands out as a top Shirley Jackson short story. It starts off seemingly ordinary but takes a horrifying turn as the true nature of the lottery in the town is revealed. 'The Summer People' is also excellent. It shows how outsiders can be treated in a small, insular community. And don't forget 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle', which has a very unique atmosphere.