Essay On Conformity In The Lottery

There are traditions that are difficult for people to let go of, especially if no one else is willing to change first. Whether the tradition is moral or not, if everyone else is following along, then many believe that they should do as well. An example of a society’s blind conformity to tradition, is found in Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” The story takes place in a small, un-named town where a lottery is held annually. Each year, a citizen of the town is chosen and stoned to death. It does not matter if it is a man, woman, or child, so long as the sacrifice gets done. The theme of blind conformity is clearly a key element in the story, as it shows how far a person is willing to go in order to uphold tradition. The theme exposes …show more content…
It is explained in the story that each year the town gets together, on June twenty-seventh, to sacrifice one of their own (Jackson 254). The villagers show no remorse in their actions; they act as if it were as normal as going to church or participating in any daily activity. It is stated at the end of the first paragraph that the lottery is specifically held at around ten o’clock in the morning, so that the people will make it in time to go home for “noon dinner” (Jackson 254). Notably, the lottery is already established into everyone’s schedule, which is right after participating in their morning activities. The villagers know that killing one of their neighbors will not take long enough to interfere with their afternoon brunch. In assumption, after the sacrifice the villagers would continue to interact as what would be perceived as …show more content…
In the second paragraph of the story, it tells of how the younger boys gather up all the stones they can find and stuff their pockets with them in preparation (Jackson 254). It is evident that there are set roles for the younger boys to follow before the lottery can begin. One example is they gather up all the stones to be used. These children are aware that there may be a chance they will have to kill or be killed by their fellow friends and family. In addition to the normalcy of the children’s roles, it is stated that while the “children [assemble] first… the men [begin] to gather… [and] the women… [come] shortly after their menfolk,” the men talk about “tractors and taxes” and the women gossip, all amongst themselves (Jackson 254). However, a person who knows there will be a chance that they may get stoned to death, it is highly doubtful they will be in a chatty mood. Although, killing is a tradition in this society, those being killed still feel a sense of remorse for having to participate. It would be a dark and depressing