“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is a story about a small village who continues to blindly follow a violent age old tradition. “The Lottery” proves that there can be certain dangers in following traditions. Throughout “The Lottery” there are various examples that display how the villagers are blindly following the traditions in which they have been passed. Old Man Warner, an elder among the group, acts as symbolism for tradition in this story because he has participated in seventy-seven lotteries. Warner believes that the continuation of this tradition is directly related to a bountiful corn crop. As one of the villagers speaks out and says other villages have thought about stopping the lottery, Old Man Warner says, “pack of crazy fools.
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Jackson also noted that they joked and smiled during the process. The casual tone displayed by the men and children of the village lead us to believe that there is nothing abnormal about what is going to take place. At a young age, the children are actively involved in the lottery. As the children grow up engaging in the lottery, they will think nothing of it, other than it is something they do every year because it is a tradition. It is not until the end of the story that the purpose of the stones is revealed. “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson 290). For someone who is not familiar with the story, this action may just seem as though the children are playing. It is not until the end that we realize it is not the intention of gathering the stones. The children are groomed from an early age, without them realizing that their actions are contributing to the untimely death of a fellow …show more content…
To the villagers, the lottery itself represents a sense of loyalty and tradition, therefore, they continue to follow it as they have always done. They are willing to commit incongruous murder because they believe that it will help their crops, though in reality, this act will in no way contribute. Old Man Warner said, “lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery” (Jackson 294). Old Man Warner believes that if their village were to give up the lottery, they would all go back to living as people did in a much earlier era. The people in this village see the lottery as necessity or a norm, only because it has been ritualized for as long as they can remember. As a result of this, they cannot see the lottery for what is truly is. In conclusion, “The Lottery” proves that many dangers can arise in following traditions. After analyzing the true meaning of this story, I came to the realization of various points. I learned that it is our nature to need leadership, rules, and traditions, but sometimes these traditions can leave us in the dark. Also, that we as humans appreciate routines, though many times do not even know
Jackson also noted that they joked and smiled during the process. The casual tone displayed by the men and children of the village lead us to believe that there is nothing abnormal about what is going to take place. At a young age, the children are actively involved in the lottery. As the children grow up engaging in the lottery, they will think nothing of it, other than it is something they do every year because it is a tradition. It is not until the end of the story that the purpose of the stones is revealed. “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson 290). For someone who is not familiar with the story, this action may just seem as though the children are playing. It is not until the end that we realize it is not the intention of gathering the stones. The children are groomed from an early age, without them realizing that their actions are contributing to the untimely death of a fellow …show more content…
To the villagers, the lottery itself represents a sense of loyalty and tradition, therefore, they continue to follow it as they have always done. They are willing to commit incongruous murder because they believe that it will help their crops, though in reality, this act will in no way contribute. Old Man Warner said, “lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery” (Jackson 294). Old Man Warner believes that if their village were to give up the lottery, they would all go back to living as people did in a much earlier era. The people in this village see the lottery as necessity or a norm, only because it has been ritualized for as long as they can remember. As a result of this, they cannot see the lottery for what is truly is. In conclusion, “The Lottery” proves that many dangers can arise in following traditions. After analyzing the true meaning of this story, I came to the realization of various points. I learned that it is our nature to need leadership, rules, and traditions, but sometimes these traditions can leave us in the dark. Also, that we as humans appreciate routines, though many times do not even know