Ticket No. 9672 · Chapter
XIX explained
The grand lottery drawing takes place at the University of Christiania on July 15th.
What happens
The grand lottery drawing takes place at the University of Christiania on July 15th. The crowd buzzes with sympathy for Hulda Hansen, who has lost her lover Ole Kamp at sea. Sylvius Hogg arrives with Hulda and Joel Hansen. As the drawing proceeds, the final prize of 100,000 marks is won by ticket number 9672—Ole Kamp's ticket, now held by Sandgoist. But when the winner is called, Ole Kamp himself appears alive, catching the fainting Hulda in his arms.
Themes in this chapter
Fate and Superstition
The sequential drawing of numbers creates suspense; the crowd interprets zeros and the appearance of 9672 as omens.
Love and Longing
Hulda's thoughts remain fixed on Ole throughout the drawing; her fainting at his reappearance underscores her deep love.
Greed and Exploitation
Sandgoist's possession of Ole's ticket and the crowd's hostility toward him highlight the theme of greed.
Characters to notice
- Hulda Hansen
Attends the lottery drawing on Sylvius Hogg's arm, deeply agitated and thinking only of Ole; faints when Ole appears.
- Sylvius Hogg
Escorts Hulda and Joel to the drawing, acknowledged by the crowd; becomes increasingly restless as the final numbers are drawn.
- Joel Hansen
Follows Sylvius and Hulda into the hall; sits with folded arms, the least moved of the assembly.
- Ole Kamp
Revealed alive at the climax of the drawing; claims the prize and catches the fainting Hulda.
- Monsieur Sandgoist
Rumored to be in Christiania; his ticket number 9672 wins the grand prize, but he does not step forward.
- Siegfrid Helmboe
Mentioned as the owner of ticket 823,752, which wins a prize of six thousand marks.
Key passages
“What a crowd filled the large hall of the University of Christiana in which the drawing of the great lottery was to take place—a crowd that overflowed into the very courtyards, as even the immense building was not large enough to accommodate such a throng, and even into the adjoining streets, as the courtyards, too, proved inadequate toward the last.”
The University of Christiania was packed with people for the lottery drawing, spilling into the courtyards and streets because the building couldn't hold everyone.
Describes the immense crowd at the lottery event.
“On that Sunday, the 15th of July, it certainly was not by their calmness and phlegm that one would have recognized these madly excited people as Norwegians.”
On July 15th, the crowd was so wildly excited that they didn't seem like typical calm Norwegians.
Highlights the unusual excitement of the Norwegian crowd.
“Unquestionably, if she had still been the possessor of Ole Kamp’s ticket each individual present would have wished her the next best luck to himself.”
Everyone wished Hulda good luck, as if she still owned Ole's ticket.
Shows public sympathy for Hulda.
“Could it be that this ticket of Ole Kamp’s was to be the means of placing one hundred thousand marks in that villainous Sandgoist’s pocket. Really such a result would almost make one doubt the justice of God!”
The thought that Sandgoist might win the prize with Ole's ticket made people question divine justice.
Expresses moral outrage at Sandgoist's potential gain.
“It was a young man—a young man with a pale face, whose features and whole person bore marks of prolonged suffering, but alive, really and truly alive.”
The claimant was a pale young man showing signs of suffering, but unmistakably alive.
Reveals Ole Kamp's survival and appearance.
