Thematic Analysis Across Genres

Shirley Jackson's short tale "The Lottery" and Delia Owens' novel Where the Crawdads Sing has various themes, such as the danger of blindly following tradition, legacies, and conformity power. Mabel is an older woman who sees Killdeer, the main character, through the prism of tradition and conformity in the novel Where the Crawdads Sing. The strength of history and lineage, a recurring subject in the lives of the characters and the novel itself, may be seen through Mabel's eyes (Sari & Tur, 2019). Therefore the Lottery, a short story by Shirley Jackson, covers the essential themes which Delia Owens also explores in his poems. They emphasize the value of embracing one's individuality and the need for critical analysis of cultural standards, as well as the issue of the peril of mindlessly adhering to tradition and the force of conformity. Analyzing these works, we learn more about the effects of mindlessly adhering to social norms and customs.