The Narrator In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

“The Lottery” is a short story written by Shirley Jackson. It is about a lottery that takes place once a year in a small village. Many are wondering why they do a lottery so this paragraph is going to show you crucial evidence on why the event takes place. The reason why the villagers "have" to have a lottery is simply because the lottery had become a tradition that had been followed since the time of the villagers' ancestors. As a result, the villagers had become so used to repeating this practice over and over that they would not even find anything right, nor wrong, with it. In fact, the villagers themselves may not know why they even hold a lottery, however, they do not question their response to it. Even though they might not know why some …show more content…
And the others often do things without knowing why, and only because "the others" ex. Old Man Warner want them to do things. When we stop questioning the purpose of our actions, and become automated, the chances of falling within the cracks of society, and even evil doings, are quite higher. The villagers saw nothing new, nor out of order, in the brutal, stoning of Tessie Hutchinson. A good example of the town's reactions towards the practice of the lottery comes when the narrator tells us how the practice is so old that its symbolism has been forgotten throughout the years. Of the suggestion and questioning of the lottery, those who ask get a rude response, appealing to the lottery "always being there", and to how ridiculous the idea of stopping the lottery would be. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves . There's always been a lottery. However, nobody seems to ever question its origin, its purpose, nor its fairness. A further example of how the mentality of this villagers is quite limited is the black box. As they realize how old and beat down the black box is, many suggest a