The main focus of this paper is a sound and authentic comparison and contrast between the two well known and highly renowned fiction stories, ?The Lottery? by Shirley Jackson and ?The Destructors? by Graham Greene. The former is the story about the people of a town adhering to their old norms, outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices. The later themes at a teenage boy gang that were directed to destroy and demolish an old man?s house.
Themes of the stories are totally different in one aspect i.e. ?The Lottery? is focusing on the adhesion and stickiness of the people to their old traditions and creeds, which are not at all willing to accept any kind of transitions or changes either. The story tells how wickedness of ordinary people can be just as horrifying as the wild crime of a serial killer. Following the crowd in any matter can be so disastrous and consequential. While ?The Destructors? is solely concentrated on the cynicism and destructive outlook of a teenage gang that demolished wildly an old man?s only house in the town. He has superbly characterized that how war and bombing causes people surrounded by the destruction to become desensitized and rebelliousness. Besides all this, both the stories find a common aspect regarding the realistic life problems that one have to encounter while living in a society.
Both the authors have conveyed their stories in a real-touch mode and easy comprehension. The reader just feels for a moment that as he has been himself the part of that story. One just starts getting into the whole scenario and feels it interesting and suspensive at the same time. The authors have assisted their thoughts with the well assumed characters like Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves, the main characters, in the ?The Lottery? and Mr. Trevor and Mr. Thomas, the main characters, in ?The Destructors?. Both the authors have developed a whole prerequisite scenario first in a superb and fabulous way and then just got that fit into a fabulous story which makes it more interesting, suspensive and touchy.
In ?The Lottery?, Shirley Jackson has nicely portrayed the realistically life problems that how the old people are so much sensitive and sticky about some things like old traditions, creeds and conditions. They are not at all willing to accept or introduce any modifications or innovations in their old assets or being susceptible to any sudden transition in their lifestyle and conditions. They love the way they are, regardless of any other better realities. And the most important fact, they will really not have any soft corner for the person who either suggests them a new way or just encourages others to make the things happen in any different way.
In ?The Destructors?, Graham Greene exhibits a realistic story involving the emotions and response of the environment against a humble and a simple person ?Old Misery?. He has finely described the traits and deeds of the teenage gangs that how they build in the societies and how they respond to their surroundings when they are in blind touch and blood rush. He has pointed out their strength and terror in the towns that how bad, cynic, selfish and destructive they can be to anyone. He has clearly illustrated that how the whole group including the leader is involved in the crimes and how do they plan and manage the whole scene.
The unique and rummy writing style of Shirley Jackson is well renowned among the Legends of Fiction Storytellers. She is a contradiction, or perhaps just the other side of the idea of an author who fails to make any strong impression among the people during their lifetime, and is only later discovered by a new generation and then highly praised and applauded. Shirley Jackson manipulates people’s beliefs. Her stories come from the increasingly skewed perceptions of her protagonists, fails to suggest the sheer power these vision have. She has always seen the world through her light horn-rimmed spectacles.
Graham Greene?s novels exclusively treat moral issues in the context of social and political settings. Adventure and suspense are core elements in his novels and owing to this uniqueness many of his books have been made into successful movies and films. Greene’s novels are partly based on his own personal experiences in the life that?s why he was very prolific and versatile. The recurring themes of treachery and betrayal in Greene’s writing stem from his old childhood unforeseen tragedy but his writings are always on very critical and sensitive issues which make him stand unique in the group of highly renowned fiction story tellers.
