After reading numerous short stories, we have gained a wealth of information about them. These stories encompass a multitude of themes and carry diverse symbolic meanings. While many of them share common elements, some are completely unrelated. However, the stories “The Lottery Ticket” by Anton Chekhov and “Rich for One Day” by Suzanne Jacob exhibit the most similarities. They are particularly alike in terms of setting, characters, and plot. Firstly, both stories are set in a similar time period when the value of the dollar was high.
In “The Lottery Ticket,” Ivan Dmitritch had a monthly income of $100 and was content with his middle-class lifestyle. The winning lottery prize was $75,000, and Ivan and his wife discussed how it could afford them various luxuries. “The ticket is yours, but if it were mine I should, first of all, of course, spend thousands on immediate expenses…paying debts, and so on…The other forty thousand I would put in the bank and get interest on it.” In the short story “Rich for One Day,” Aline felt wealthy with only eight dollars. She indulged in things like a movie ticket, popcorn, coke, and a taxi ride. “Then she remembered, she was rich today. She had eight dollars, a fortune. She could allow herself thousands of things.” The stories not only shared the setting but also had relatable characters.
Secondly, both Ivan Dmitritch and Aline possess similar character traits. They both have vivid imaginations and are laid-back individuals. In “The Lottery Ticket,” Ivan Dmitritch frequently indulged in fantasies about what he would do with the substantial sum of money he could potentially win. He often daydreamed about various scenarios, envisioning himself well-nourished, healthy, and comfortably warm. Whether lying on his back on the scorching sand by a stream or relaxing in a garden under a lime tree, he imagined every picture to be more graceful and poetic than the last (Chekhov, P. 199).
Aline in “Rich for One Day” had a vivid imagination and often fantasized about her future wealth and the endless possibilities it would bring. She envisioned herself being surrounded by rare, beautiful, and astonishing things, never ceasing to be amazed by her luxurious lifestyle. She dreamed of having a car and a chauffeur, spending all her time traveling and exploring the world. (Jacob, P. 259).
