The Stoning Ages Around the same time every year someone gets stoned, in the short story “The Lottery” By Shirley Jackson. The story takes place in a small town in New England. Every year a “lottery” as the villagers call it is held, one person is to be randomly chosen to be stoned to death by the people in the village. The lottery has been around for over seventy years by the townspeople. Shirley Jackson uses symbolism in this short story by using objects, names, and the setting to tell the meaning of the lottery. The objects in the story represent symbolic meanings to The Lottery. Helen E. Nedbeker states “The present box has been made from pieces of the original (as though it were salvaged somehow) and is now blackened, faded, and stained
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Shields states, “Jackson’s story prods the reader into confronting the realities of modern day execution rituals by presenting a fictional counterpart. Many people in contemporary society have preconceived ideas about capital punishment, why it is done, what purpose it serves, and to whom it is done. Many of us are guilty of accepting custom and tradition without questioning it. Many of us are socialized into this process from such a young age that it goes without examination. At the beginning of Jackson’s story, we see that little Bobby Martin had stuffed his pockets full of stones and that the other boys will soon follow. We guard our traditions and beliefs as if they are sacred burial mounds that should be beyond reproach.” (6) The lottery has been around for so long most people are so used to the process every year, although they (the villagers) worry about who's going to be able to survive that year. The stones are being used for the not so lucky winner in the annual lottery. That’s when some of the villagers have the pleasure of picking the stones after learning who the unlucky winner is and betraying them whether it’s a friend, family member, and sometimes even …show more content…
The villagers accept this solution in a trance-like state because it has always been done that way. The ritual has lost its significance, and the purpose has long been forgotten.” (Shields 7) Although The Lottery was a horrific tradition no one wanted to speak up to try to end it, because they were scared of what the outcome might be. The symbols help the reader interpret the short story by understanding the significance of the symbols. The black box determined life or death and the stones symbolizes power and
Shields states, “Jackson’s story prods the reader into confronting the realities of modern day execution rituals by presenting a fictional counterpart. Many people in contemporary society have preconceived ideas about capital punishment, why it is done, what purpose it serves, and to whom it is done. Many of us are guilty of accepting custom and tradition without questioning it. Many of us are socialized into this process from such a young age that it goes without examination. At the beginning of Jackson’s story, we see that little Bobby Martin had stuffed his pockets full of stones and that the other boys will soon follow. We guard our traditions and beliefs as if they are sacred burial mounds that should be beyond reproach.” (6) The lottery has been around for so long most people are so used to the process every year, although they (the villagers) worry about who's going to be able to survive that year. The stones are being used for the not so lucky winner in the annual lottery. That’s when some of the villagers have the pleasure of picking the stones after learning who the unlucky winner is and betraying them whether it’s a friend, family member, and sometimes even …show more content…
The villagers accept this solution in a trance-like state because it has always been done that way. The ritual has lost its significance, and the purpose has long been forgotten.” (Shields 7) Although The Lottery was a horrific tradition no one wanted to speak up to try to end it, because they were scared of what the outcome might be. The symbols help the reader interpret the short story by understanding the significance of the symbols. The black box determined life or death and the stones symbolizes power and