Story Grammar
Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt
Plot
Themes
A young boy is beaten severely by his
mother’s boyfriend and then taken
from his home and placed at a private
boys school. His most prized
possession is a rose bush that he won
at the local grocery store’s lottery the
day of his final beating. He learns
through his bush and his mentors that
he can trust again. He befriends a
neighboring family, who has also
undergone hardships and learns to
forgive and to make friends. When
Robin, the neighbor’s small son,
drowns in the nearby lake, Georgie
becomes closer to the mother and they
bond. Georgie learnt to trust and to
love.
Forgiveness after wrongdoing,
Healing, Love, Learning to trust
Setting
Florida, 1980s???
Characters
Georgie Burgess, Rennie Burgess
(mother), Steve (boyfriend), Ellen
Ames (librarian), Miss Cressman
(teacher), Sister Mary Angela, Timothy
(friend), Mrs. Harper (Neighbor mom),
Robin, Mr. Collier, Paul (deceased),
Mr. and Mrs. Sims (grocers).
Initiating Event: On the day he wins the rose bush, Georgie is beaten by Steve so
badly that he is taken to the hospital and permanently removed from the home.
He is placed in a private boys boarding school, after a brief stay with Mr. and
Mrs. Sims.
Internal Response: Georgie doesn’t trust anyone but only values his rose. He
distrusts those who hurt his rose and trust those who care for it. He is sensitive
about his cuts and bruises from the beating and wary of anyone who is kind to
him, suspecting that they will be like his mother and be unkind to him later. He
is slow to forgive Mrs. Harper for not letting him plant his rose in her garden.
Attempt: Georgie learns to adapt to people and forgive as he heals from his
beating and his subsequent sickness. He makes friends with Timothy and Robin
and also Mr. Collier and his rose grows stronger. He still won’t forgive Mrs.
Harper.
Forsythe, BYU, 2002
Outcome: Georgie cares for Robin and Mr. Collier teaches him to read. Georgie
realizes he isn’t dumb and that people can be trusted. Georgie regrets not being
in Mrs. Harper’s play and starts to try to resolve his resentments towards her.
Then one day, because Georgie has begun taking Robin to the lake to feed the
ducks as Robin’s brother Paul used to do, Robin goes by himself one day and
drowns.
Resolution: Georgie and Mrs. Harper become friends. They bond as surrogate
mother and son and learn to love beyond hurt. Georgie feels he has found his
place and that people can be trusted and he can love after being hurt.
Resolution: Lottery Rose is a touching story about learning to love and to trust
despite hardships. The author relates a strong message about the ability people
have to overcome pain through love and patience while putting in a plug against
child abuse and the need for loving citizens to help combat the problem.
Forsythe, BYU, 2002