Barbaric Nature Of Society In The Lottery, By Shirley Jackson

Society is one big hypocrite, they tell you one thing and are quick to turn on their word. In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, a town prepares for the annual lottery on a warm summer day. The town people gather in the square as the children collect rocks and the adults chat with one another. The lottery begins and each family is called upon to pick a piece of paper from the black lottery box, as they try to avoid selecting the paper with the black dot on it. The selection continues until it is narrowed down to where each member in the chosen family selects a piece of paper. All begins to go downhill when Bill Hutchinson selects the dotted paper, resulting with the death of his wife Tessie Hutchinson. In the short story, Shirley Jackson uses matter-of-fact details about the setting, the townspeople, and the traditions associated with the yearly lottery to initially mask but then emphasize her theme that although society claims to be civilized it is, in reality, inherently barbaric.
As the setting changes …show more content…
Jackson’s use of details hides the barbaric nature of society by describing the setting, townspeople, and the traditions of the lottery in a calm yet chilling way; as the lottery moves along the true nature of society is revealed. Jackson’s descriptions of the town, reveal her views on society. It suggest that she believes that society masks the truth and is one big hypocrite. Society tells the people that they should have their own beliefs and be individuals, when in reality they are telling the people that they should look, behave, a certain way and believe in a certain thing in order to succeed and get by in life. Society even uses propaganda in order to hide the truths and make the people believe in its lies. Society is on big blur, concealed with lies and savage, uncivilized