1.

★The Theme of Greed and Its Consequences

In "A Lottery Ticket" by Anton Chekhov, greed is an important idea. Greed means wanting
too much of something, like money, even if it is not needed. In this story, the thought of
winning the lottery changes how Ivan and his wife behave and how they feel about each
other.

At the start of the story, Ivan and his wife seem happy and normal. They live a simple life,
and they don’t have any big problems. But when they think they might win a lot of money
from the lottery, everything changes. At first, they feel excited and happy. They start
dreaming about how they will use the money. Ivan imagines traveling, eating delicious food,
and living like a rich man. His wife dreams about buying new clothes, jewelry, and maybe a
big house.

But soon, greed sneaks into their thoughts. Instead of feeling happy together, they start
thinking selfishly. Ivan begins to imagine that his wife will take all the money for herself. He
feels jealous and angry, even though his wife hasn’t done anything wrong. On the other
hand, his wife starts thinking that Ivan will waste the money on silly things. She feels upset
and frustrated.

Their greed makes them think badly about each other. Before, they were a loving couple,
but now they see each other as greedy and selfish. This shows how greed can hurt
relationships. Even though they haven’t won the money, the thought of being rich changes
how they treat each other.

In the end, they find out they didn’t win the lottery. But the damage is already done. They
feel disappointed, angry, and far apart from each other. Chekhov shows us that greed can
ruin happiness, even when it is only about dreams.

The story teaches us an important lesson: wanting too much can destroy the good things
we already have. It is okay to dream, but we should not let greed take over our thoughts and
feelings. Real happiness comes from loving and trusting the people around us, not from
money or material things.

2. Analyze the dynamics of Ivan and his wife's relationship.

How do Ivan and his wife’s interactions evolve after the lottery ticket becomes the focus of
their conversation? What does this reveal about their true feelings for each other?

Answer: The Dynamics of Ivan and His Wife’s Relationship

In "A Lottery Ticket" by Anton Chekhov, Ivan and his wife seem to have a simple and
peaceful relationship at the start of the story. They sit together, talk about the lottery, and
share small hopes about the possibility of winning. Their relationship looks happy and
normal, but this changes when the lottery ticket becomes the center of their conversation.

At first, the idea of winning excites both of them. Ivan and his wife laugh and talk about how
their lives will change with the money. They dream about traveling, buying expensive things,
and living in comfort. These shared dreams make it seem like they are on the same side,
imagining a brighter future together.

However, their interactions begin to change as greed and selfishness take over. Ivan starts
imagining that his wife might take all the money for herself. He thinks about how the lottery
ticket is in her name, and this makes him feel suspicious and jealous. In his mind, he starts
seeing his wife as someone who only cares about herself and doesn’t want to share the
money with him.

At the same time, his wife also starts having negative thoughts. She imagines that Ivan
might waste the money on silly things or spend it too quickly. She begins to feel frustrated
and thinks that she should control the money to use it wisely.

Their relationship, which seemed loving and happy at the start, now feels cold and distant.
They don’t argue out loud, but in their minds, they are already fighting over the money. This
reveals a deeper truth about their feelings: there is some mistrust and selfishness between
them that they don’t usually show.

In the end, when they find out they didn’t win the lottery, they are left feeling disappointed
and bitter. Their happy thoughts turn into anger, not just because they didn’t win, but
because of how they saw each other during their daydreams. Chekhov uses this to show
that their relationship was not as strong as it seemed.

The story teaches us that greed can uncover hidden problems in relationships. It reminds
us to focus on trust, love, and understanding instead of letting money or selfish desires
come between us.

3★ Explore the role of imagination in the story.

How does Ivan Dmitritch’s imagination transform his thoughts and emotions throughout
the story? Analyze how the author uses Ivan's daydreams to reveal deeper truths about
human nature and relationships.

Answer : The Role of Imagination in "A Lottery Ticket"

Imagination plays a powerful role in "A Lottery Ticket" by Anton Chekhov. The story shows
how Ivan Dmitritch’s thoughts and feelings are shaped by his daydreams about winning the
lottery. These dreams seem exciting at first but later reveal deeper truths about his nature,
emotions, and relationship with his wife.

Imagination Brings Excitement

At the beginning of the story, Ivan Dmitritch is an ordinary man living a simple life. When he
learns about the lottery ticket, his imagination takes over. He starts dreaming about how
much money he could win and how it would change his life. Ivan imagines traveling to
warm, sunny places, buying fine clothes, and living a life free of worry.

These dreams fill him with excitement and joy. For a moment, his imagination lifts him out
of his routine life. He and his wife laugh and talk about the possibilities, and everything
seems bright and full of hope. Their shared dreams make them feel closer to each other, as
they plan for a future filled with luxury and happiness.

Imagination Turns Dark

However, as Ivan’s daydreaming continues, it begins to change. Instead of thinking about

happy things, Ivan starts imagining problems. He realizes that the lottery ticket is in his
wife’s name, and this thought triggers feelings of jealousy and suspicion. He begins to think
that his wife might take all the money for herself and leave him with nothing.

In his imagination, Ivan starts to see his wife as greedy and selfish, even though she hasn’t
done anything wrong. His thoughts turn dark, and he feels angry and bitter toward her. At
the same time, his wife also begins to dream about controlling the money and doubts
Ivan’s ability to handle it wisely. These negative thoughts create tension between them,
even though they haven’t spoken about their fears.

What Ivan’s Imagination Reveals

Chekhov uses Ivan’s daydreams to show deeper truths about human nature and
relationships. Ivan’s happy dreams reveal that he is dissatisfied with his current life. He
longs for freedom, luxury, and happiness, believing that money will solve all his problems.
His darker thoughts, on the other hand, reveal a lack of trust in his relationship. While Ivan
and his wife seem like a happy couple at first, their daydreams expose hidden selfishness
and mistrust between them.

This shows how imagination can uncover feelings that people don’t usually show. It also
demonstrates how greed and material desires can damage relationships. Ivan’s negative
thoughts about his wife are not based on reality but are driven by his own fears and
insecurities.

The Emotional Journey

Throughout the story, Ivan’s emotions change because of his imagination. At first, he feels
excited and hopeful. Then, as his thoughts turn darker, he feels jealousy, anger, and
frustration. By the end of the story, when he and his wife realize they didn’t win the lottery,
Ivan feels disappointed and bitter.

Chekhov shows how imagination can control emotions, making people feel happy or sad
based on thoughts that aren’t even real. Ivan’s journey shows the dangers of letting
imagination take over, especially when it leads to mistrust and greed.

The Bigger Lesson

The story teaches an important lesson about human nature. People often dream about
things like money, thinking it will make them happy. But Ivan’s imagination shows that
money can also bring out greed and selfishness. Chekhov reminds us that happiness
doesn’t come from wealth alone.

The story also highlights the importance of trust in relationships. Ivan and his wife’s
imaginations show that their bond is not as strong as it seems. Instead of supporting each
other, they start to see each other as rivals for the money. Chekhov warns us that greed can
harm even close relationships.

Conclusion

In "A Lottery Ticket," Ivan Dmitritch’s imagination plays a central role in shaping his
thoughts and emotions. His daydreams take him on an emotional journey from excitement
to disappointment, revealing deeper truths about his desires and relationships. Chekhov
uses this to show how imagination can uncover hidden feelings, for better or worse.

The story reminds us to be careful with our dreams and desires. While it’s fun to imagine a
better life, we should not let those dreams create mistrust or greed. True happiness comes
from appreciating what we already have and building strong, loving relationships with the
people around us.

4.★ Examine the element of irony in the story.

How does Chekhov use irony to highlight the futility of Ivan’s dreams and the outcome of
their anticipation? Discuss how this contributes to the overall message of the story.

Answer: The Element of Irony in "A Lottery Ticket"

Irony is when things turn out in a way that is unexpected or opposite to what people think
will happen. In "A Lottery Ticket," Anton Chekhov uses irony to make the story more
meaningful and to show how Ivan Dmitritch’s dreams and hopes lead to disappointment.
The irony highlights the foolishness of greed and the emptiness of material desires, making
the story’s message stronger.

Irony of Anticipation

At the start, Ivan and his wife are excited about the possibility of winning the lottery. They
imagine their lives changing completely. They dream of wealth, comfort, and happiness.
The irony here is that their dreams are based on something that hasn’t happened yet and is
extremely unlikely. They spend all their time thinking about how rich they will be, but they
haven’t even checked the ticket to see if they have won.

This situation shows how people often waste time and energy on things that might never
happen. Chekhov uses this irony to show how foolish it is to rely on dreams of wealth for
happiness.

Irony of the Outcome

The biggest irony in the story comes at the end when Ivan and his wife finally check the
lottery ticket and discover that they didn’t win. All their excitement, daydreaming, and even
the tension in their relationship was for nothing. Instead of feeling relieved that their life
can go back to normal, they feel bitter and disappointed.

The irony here is that they lose something more important than the lottery: their trust and
closeness as a couple. Before they learned about the ticket, they seemed happy and
content. But by the end of the story, they are angry and distant, even though nothing has
actually changed in their real lives. This ironic twist shows how greed and false hopes can
ruin relationships and take away the joy of what people already have.

Irony in Ivan’s Dreams

Chekhov also uses irony in how Ivan’s dreams reflect his deeper desires. Ivan believes that
money will solve all his problems and make him happy. But his daydreams reveal the
opposite: he is jealous, selfish, and unhappy even when imagining a better life. This ironic
contrast shows that money wouldn’t truly fix his problems. His unhappiness comes from
within, not from his lack of wealth.

The irony here emphasizes a key message of the story: material possessions cannot bring
lasting happiness. True contentment comes from appreciating life as it is and valuing
relationships over monConclusion

How Irony Contributes to the Story

The use of irony in "A Lottery Ticket" makes the story more powerful and thought-provoking.
It shows how human nature often leads people to chase empty dreams and ignore what
they already have. The ironic ending, where Ivan and his wife are left disappointed, teaches
readers an important lesson about greed and the dangers of putting too much hope in
material things.

Chekhov’s use of irony also makes the story relatable. Many people have experienced
moments where their dreams didn’t come true or where their expectations led to
disappointment. The story’s message is clear: chasing wealth and letting greed control us
will only lead to unhappiness.

Conclusion

Irony is a key element in "A Lottery Ticket," and Chekhov uses it to show how pointless
Ivan’s dreams of wealth are. The story’s ending, where Ivan and his wife are left with
nothing but disappointment, highlights the futility of their anticipation and the destructive
nature of greed. This irony drives home the story’s message: real happiness comes not
from money but from appreciating life and relationships. Through irony, Chekhov reminds
us to value what we have and not let greed or false hopes take away our peace and joy.

5★ Reflect on the theme of disillusionment.

How does Ivan’s realization about his lottery ticket create a sense of disillusionment?
Discuss the psychological impact this has on him and how it ties to the broader themes of
the story.

Answer : The Theme of Disillusionment in "A Lottery Ticket"

Disillusionment happens when someone realizes that their dreams or hopes are not real or
meaningful. In "A Lottery Ticket" by Anton Chekhov, Ivan Dmitritch experiences
disillusionment when he finds out that his lottery ticket did not win. This moment changes
how he feels about his dreams, his life, and his relationship with his wife. The sense of
disillusionment ties to the broader themes of greed, dissatisfaction, and human nature in
the story.

Ivan’s Disillusionment

At the beginning of the story, Ivan is excited about the possibility of winning the lottery. He
dreams of a better life filled with money, luxury, and freedom. His imagination takes him to
sunny places, fancy houses, and an easy life where he no longer has to work hard. These
dreams make him feel happy and full of hope.
However, when Ivan finally checks the ticket and realizes he didn’t win, all those dreams
fall apart. In an instant, he goes from feeling excited and hopeful to feeling bitter and
disappointed. The reality that he is still stuck in his ordinary life hits him hard. This is the
moment of disillusionment: when Ivan realizes that his hopes were just illusions and that
the happiness he dreamed of was never going to happen.

The Psychological Impact on I

This realization has a strong psychological effect on Ivan. First, he feels deep
disappointment. He had built up so many dreams in his mind, and now they are gone. This
leaves him feeling empty and unsatisfied with his life.

Second, Ivan feels angry and bitter. He starts to resent his wife and even his own life, even
though nothing has actually changed. His emotions become negative because he let
himself believe in a dream that was never real. This shows how dangerous false hopes can
be—they can make people feel worse about their reality when those hopes don’t come
true.

Lastly, Ivan’s disillusionment exposes his deeper dissatisfaction with his life. His
daydreams about money and luxury show that he wasn’t truly happy even before the lottery
ticket. The loss of the dream forces him to face the fact that his unhappiness comes from
within, not from his lack of money.

Tying to the Broader Themes

Ivan’s disillusionment ties to several key themes in the story:

1. Greed and Materialism: Ivan and his wife’s focus on money reveals how easily people
can become consumed by material desires. Their hopes for wealth overshadow the
contentment they might have felt in their simple life. The disillusionment shows how greed
leads to unhappiness, even when people don’t actually lose anything.

2. Human Nature: Chekhov uses Ivan’s experience to explore human nature. People often
create unrealistic dreams and then feel crushed when those dreams don’t come true.
Ivan’s reaction shows how fragile human emotions can be and how quickly hope can turn
into bitterness.

3. Illusion vs. Reality: The story highlights the contrast between the world of imagination
and the real world. Ivan’s dreams are exciting and full of promise, but they are not real.
When faced with reality, he feels disillusioned because he let himself believe in something
that was only in his mind.

The Broader Message

Through Ivan’s disillusionment, Chekhov delivers an important message: chasing false
hopes and material desires can lead to unhappiness. The story reminds us that dreaming
about a better life is not wrong, but putting all our happiness into those dreams can be
dangerous. When we focus too much on what we don’t have, we forget to appreciate what
we do have.

The story also teaches us that true satisfaction comes from within. Ivan’s disappointment
is not just about losing the lottery; it is about realizing that even wealth might not solve his
deeper unhappiness. This reflects a universal truth: happiness cannot be found in money
or material things alone.

Conclusion

Ivan’s realization about his lottery ticket creates a deep sense of disillusionment. It forces
him to confront the emptiness of his dreams and the dissatisfaction in his life. The
psychological impact is powerful, making him feel bitter, angry, and disappointed. Chekhov
uses this moment to explore themes of greed, human nature, and the contrast between
illusion and reality.

Through Ivan’s story, the reader learns an important lesson: we should be cautious about
putting all our hopes in material desires. True happiness comes from appreciating what we
already have and finding joy in life’s simple moments. Disillusionment is painful, but it can
also teach us to focus on what really matters.

6.★ Evaluate the role of social commentary.

How does Chekhov use "A Lottery Ticket" to critique human behavior and societal values?
Provide examples from the text to support your analysis.

Answer : The Role of Social Commentary in "A Lottery Ticket"

In "A Lottery Ticket," Anton Chekhov uses the story to critique human behavior and societal
values, particularly focusing on materialism, greed, and the emptiness of dreams that are
based on wealth. Through the experiences of Ivan Dmitritch and his wife, Chekhov subtly
addresses the flaws in human nature and the way people place value on money and
external success. The story serves as a social commentary on the shallow pursuit of wealth
and the way it can distort relationships and individual happiness.

Materialism and the Pursuit of Wealth

One of the main critiques in "A Lottery Ticket" is how society values material wealth above
all else. Ivan and his wife are initially portrayed as content with their simple lives. However,
when they learn about the lottery ticket, their focus immediately shifts to the possibility of
riches. The couple starts to imagine a life of luxury, travel, and comfort—all thanks to
money.

For instance, Ivan dreams of taking his wife to "hotels in foreign places" and "feasting on
roast turkey." His wife imagines buying expensive clothing and living in a beautiful house.
This shift in their thinking reveals how they, like many people, become consumed by the
idea of wealth, even when it is uncertain or unattainable. The couple's dreams are not
about improving their lives in a meaningful or moral way—they are simply about having
more things and escaping their current struggles.

This shift in their values critiques the way society often measures success and happiness
through money and material goods. Chekhov highlights how quickly people abandon their
original values and become fixated on wealth, showing the emptiness of this pursuit.

Greed and Selfishness

As Ivan’s imagination runs wild, his greed and suspicion begin to grow. Initially, he imagines
how great his life will be if they win, but soon, his thoughts turn darker. He starts wondering
if his wife will keep the money to herself, as the ticket is in her name. This shift from
excitement to suspicion illustrates how greed can corrupt even the most simple
relationships. Instead of feeling joy and gratitude, Ivan becomes jealous, envious, and
distrustful, demonstrating the negative psychological effects of greed.

For example, Ivan starts imagining his wife taking the money and spending it without
consulting him. He even feels that she might be dishonest with him. These fears and
thoughts are entirely imagined, but they highlight how greed can make people see the
worst in others. The irony is that, despite the fact that they have not even won the money,
the couple's relationship is already poisoned by the potential of wealth.

This critique is not only about the individual characters but also about a society that
promotes greed as a means to happiness. Chekhov shows that greed leads to negative
emotions such as jealousy and distrust, which can damage personal relationships.

The Futility of Dreaming About Wealth

Chekhov uses the story to critique the foolishness of placing all one’s hopes and dreams
on the chance of winning money. When Ivan and his wife realize that they did not win, the
sudden shift from joy to disillusionment emphasizes the futility of their dreams. They had
spent so much time imagining what they would do with the money, but when they don’t
win, they are left with nothing but a sense of loss and frustration.

This disillusionment reveals the emptiness of their hopes, which were based on something
that was always uncertain. The couple’s reaction after finding out they haven’t won the
lottery demonstrates how easily people can get swept up in unrealistic dreams. The
message here is clear: depending on external, uncontrollable factors for happiness, such
as wealth, is not only futile but also harmful to one’s emotional well-being.

The Irony of Their Relationship

Chekhov also critiques societal values through the irony in the relationship between Ivan
and his wife. They start the day as a happy couple, but as soon as money becomes the
focus of their thoughts, their relationship begins to unravel. The couple’s mutual distrust
and jealousy show how material desires can destroy what is otherwise a stable and loving
bond.

Their daydreams about what they would do with the money expose a deeper dissatisfaction
with their lives. Instead of appreciating their current situation, they immediately begin
fantasizing about what they lack. In doing so, Chekhov critiques how many people in
society fail to appreciate the present moment and become consumed by what they do not
have.

The irony in the story is that the couple’s relationship is ruined, not by the reality of wealth
but by the mere possibility of it. The disappointment of losing the lottery ticket creates
tension and alienation between them. This highlights how fragile human connections can
be when they are based on material desires rather than emotional closeness or shared
values.

Conclusion

Through "A Lottery Ticket," Chekhov offers a pointed critique of human behavior and
societal values, especially in relation to greed, materialism, and the pursuit of wealth. The
story exposes how easily people become consumed by dreams of riches and how these
desires can distort their relationships and sense of happiness. By showing the emptiness
and disillusionment that comes from fixating on wealth, Chekhov reminds readers of the
importance of valuing the intangible aspects of life—such as love, trust, and
contentment—over fleeting material gain. Through irony and social commentary, Chekhov
challenges the conventional notion that money is the key to happiness and fulfillment.