“THE LOTTERY TICKET”

BY ANTON CHEKHOV
(AN INDEPENDENT
CRITIQUE)

SUBMITTED BY:
Jay Jay S. Lingao
10-Artemis

SUBMITTED TO:
Ms. Lanie M. Miranda
The enthralling and substantial short story or novella, The Lottery Ticket", is written by the notable
author and playwright, Anton Chekhov published on March 9, 1887. Anton Chekhov's "The Lottery
Ticket" is originally written in Russian and were just later published into other languages including
English. The original penman, Anton Chekhov, is a great Russian short story writer, physician, and
playwright and is considered as the "Master of the Modern Short Story". He is also a paragon for
"realism" genre. His works mainly focuses about the fine line between tragedy and comedy. Apart
from what have been stated, this story about the couple who overly-fantasized their expectations
over the lust which redounded to an undesirable backwash. The author effectuates a thesis that
mankind could sometimes be stingy and greedy on such circumstances especially when it comes to
"fortune". He did this through misconception about a lottery ticket. This meaningful story which
brings out the best to readers, and enlighten them with regards to the cycle of life, to focus on things
that is really significant and not being too caught up to things that do not really matter. This type of
literature did not just tackle about the mere lottery ticket but also the essence of not taking
everything for granted. Yet, as we go further with structure, elements, and overall appeal of this
story, what I can say is commendation and compliments. Indeed, we involuntarily know that money
cannot buy happiness but why do we keep on chasing it? Is life only about being wealthy and being
drowned with opulence?

This story, The Lottery Ticket, substantially talks about the adverse drawbacks of overbearing with
money, being greedy for more, and selfish to the point that others are considered "irrelevant" and
disregarded which led to undesirable consequences. This story is all about the couple who
mistakenly claim that they have won a huge lottery prize of 75, 000 dollars, but the contingency of
winning ruins their intimate relationship and marriage. The story highlights how Ivan and his wife,
Masha, fantasized and imagined spending the money for their very own sake before they even got
the money. As they imagined travelling, spending money on new estate, immediate expenses, and
the remaining will be left on the bank, the thought of winning an abundant prize smeared on both of
them, and so it leads on a "null and void" hatred and loathing on behalf of each other. Ivan thought
of her husband as someone who will leave him on darkness and will just let him suffer as his
husband drown from money. The author itself uses this wonderful plot in order to emphasize how a
middle-class couple lost their faith with each other due to a prize (which they did not really get)
before they even got to check if they really won the lottery. The author argues that money is a habit
which can destroy a man or even a woman with their greed, envy, and pride. The main characters are
the couple, Ivan and Masha Dmitrich, who can be depicted as middle-class couple who are satisfied
with their typical lives but became stingy, zany, and selfish as the story goes deeper. The setting of
the story took place on the couple's house, somewhere on the Europe, presumably. The theme is
basically greed, power, manipulation, stinginess, selfishness, and hostile effect of self-centered
desire. The point of view contains third-person limited omniscient as the story focuses on the
thoughts and fancy of Ivan and Masha Dmitrich about the lottery prize. There is a use of informal
language. Since the story circulates on the thought of Ivan, it can be seen as spontaneous and more
casual type of language. A cynical tone can also be perceived among the characters. The author's
diction uses a negative connotation, metaphor, or abstract as stated in the last dialogue. The irony is
how the mere thought of money drove Ivan and his wife to a contradiction which leads to suicidal
plan. The lottery ticket simply symbolizes the adverse fate can money bring to humans. The author
concludes how money brought Ivan to a thought of how unfair life is after they realized they do not
really win the lottery and he also jokingly or unjokingly says that he will hang himself on the tree
outside.

"Money, like vodka, turns a person into an eccentric"

- Anton Chekhov.

As a thorough review, I could say that it is recommendable as it gives me an interesting thought and
as it alters my temperament and outlook about things and the purpose of life. This story, in my
opinion, is worthy to be read and is engaging. We can also grasp a meaningful moral within that the
story which we can use to know what are the behaviors to possess and what we shouldn't. Besides, I
sense merits and faults within this story. Having said that, what I really like about the story is how
powerful its impact to its readers is. Since it has a steady plot and meaningful lesson, it relates to
reality and it is perhaps one of the stories that effectively depicts aspects of common man's life. It did
not just inform, but it also persuades readers not to do things that do not complements our life such
as immorality. I also like how the author allows reader to create a picture of a possible denouement
and ending as it is an open ending. This kind of story, which allows me to make pictures inside my
mind whereas it is my own theory for the ending, is actually my preference. What i like also about
this is how organized its plot is and how all the scenes are flowed smoothly. What I am telling about
this is how the middle-class Ivan passes from contented to selfish, that is how peripeteia works. I like
how the author uses a clear path of distinguished conversations between the couple, the scene of
imagination, and the characters' perspective about life. The great passage of events contributes in
accentuating the concept behind this story. I also like how it did not disappoint me. As far as I know,
this story was constantly mentioned in elementary days and I always encounter this story on various
social media platforms but I haven't even read it and it is not even tackled thoroughly with us until I
read it at this moment. I was actually excited reading and exploring the goodness beyond this short
story, and as I expected, it served. I also like how it is relatable to us, reader, especially nowadays. I
can see people with this kind of attitude too (Ivan's) and I can see how money influences their
behavior and how they interact with other people and it is kind of frustrating and disappointing
however. And most importantly, what I like the most is how creative and how colorful the mental
image it provides is. As I read the entire context, I can imagine the scene and I can sense the concept
that is lurking behind this story. The great flow of events, exchange of conversations, use of words,
the moral, and other elements contribute well in establishing the representations formed in the
readers' mind. On the other hand, I dislike that the character, Ivan Dmitrich, did not get a character
arc from the very end of the story. I am expecting more from Ivan. I am expecting that after they
finally realize their mistakes, he will learn his lesson and he will get back to his old self, the
contented and sedulous man. And, from all the bad thoughts that the lottery ticket brought to him, I
expect something good from him that he will pass from ignorance to knowledge. Aside from that, I
also disapprove that there is not an exact, clear and distinguished setting. The author did not
ascertain the real location and time on which the short story took place. It misleads me on thinking
that the story took place in Russia as he is a Russian playwright. Personally, I want to know what the
real setting is so it would not be perplexing for those who read. And lastly, I am also disappointed
that there are only few characters shown in the entire story and that makes the story too narrow, but,
the two characters does contribute well though. In addition to that, I am also crestfallen about the
ending. I am also expecting more from the end, that there will be turns of events that is astonishing
or a plot twist. And lastly, what I dislike the most is how Ivan infringe feminism as he thought that
he is more eligible on having the money than his wife. I could say that he lost his faith on his wife as
well as anti-feminism. But what interests me the most is how the author emphasize how money
could influence man, their behavior and thoughts. But all in all, the story was great and I recommend
it for those readers who like relatable stories. I also noticed that the text is well-organized including
the plot and it won't give the reader a hard time coping up. The words are also clear and some
metaphors are quite relatable, thus, it will be a great help on expanding one's vocabulary. I must say
that the message is also well-conveyed and well-connected as the author emphasizes the theme more
and all the structures encompassing the story is really a great help to highlight the message and
convey the author's intended goal. Using emotions such as hatred, disappointment, crestfallenness,
and etc., the text was able to appeal to its targeted audience. And also, I easily grasp the moral of the
story since the author was able to embed the expected objectives that I'm looking forward. The
author's goal, which is to change the outlook towards fortune, was effectively conveyed in the whole
story. Let us talk about how efficient, focused, understandable, clear, interesting, informative, and
opaque to various type of readers, including me. And most importantly, the overall appeal of this
story to me is unconditional and since it gave me a powerful impact right straight to my heart and
head, I would give it a clasp of praise and compliment. And from the story itself, I learned that
money has the capacity to lure mankind, and also, I would not be blinded by the brightness of any
material possessions and fortune, that is for sure.

Life is about being yourselves despite odds we face and being constant no matter what happens not
only about being wealthy and being drowned with opulence. I would recommend this as I say. You
must read this book, as it is worthy, meaningful, relevant, timely and, has a powerful implication to
one's mind. It is useful for unleashing the goodness among readers and it is also a key for
apprehending aspects of life. It will convey message to readers that money do not really give eternal
happiness, greed has consequences, don't be blinded by material possessions, choose innocence over
lust, and have an entitlement within ourselves in good ways. I guarantee that anyone will like it and
it will also satisfy your wills. This will lead to a thought about the confusing link between happiness
and money. As I have assimilated the given story, The Lottery Ticket, I acquire new essential
knowledge and skills which I can use to stride to another step ahead of life. It led me to a better
understanding of the concepts circulating life and also the main lesson that money could lure
someone so we should not be blinded by its effulgence. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story and it
made me realize one important thing that there are other things which weigh more than any other
material possessions or fortune. This is the question that keeps on popping in my mind. Why do we
keep chasing fortune? Is it something that should not be missing in our entire life? Well, I guess not.
We must keep on our minds that lust for personal sake is something that we should not practice, we
must choose love over any things because there will be no aspects that would break the binding
virtue in love. Life is not about how money you have got in your pocket or in your bank account, it is
all about being incessant in life, not changing yourself despite the odds that we are facing. Given the
circumstances that Ivan and Masha encounters, we should remain faithful despite the things that
abruptly came into our life. We should also focus to things that really matter to us, like our family
and friends over fortune since they will be there for you forever and they will remain constant and
unchanged despite the knots blocking the path of our lives unlike fortune whose sign is not forever
but just temporary. Money is not always the thing that unlocks happiness and we should not feel
entitled just because we got more jewelries, money, or any treasures than any other people. Let us
erase that mentality in our society. We should not care about social class, but more of the
contributions we gave as an individual. Let us have a revolution whereas we, ourselves, would not be
change by the treacherous shadow of money, such as greed, selfishness, and stinginess, but rather be
sympathetic to others. Therefore, I must say that we perhaps need money to continue in our lives but
we need more than that to thrive. So, will you let the thought of lust take over you? No! Focus on the
things that matters the most to you, always.