(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

The Lottery and Attitudes of Society

            ï»¿"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a short story set in a small town that practices a violent tradition of human sacrifice every year. The tradition is ironically referred to as the lottery wherein the townsfolk randomly draw paper out of a hat and the person that draws the black dot is the person that gets stoned to death. The theme of the story revolves around the strong attachment to tradition and rituals of the people in this town. The people believe that the practice of lottery in the town is part of their history and it's bound to continue forever (Jackson 23). They superstitiously believe that the sacrifice will bring them a bountiful corn harvest. Shirley Jackson was particularly driven to write this literary work by some of the traditions that she experienced in her life that she didn't believe in (Bloom 15). The message of this short story is that violent traditions are way past time and shouldn't be considered morally correct. The author presents the society around this small town as rigid due to the unknown fear and evil of human nature. She presents the very destructive rituals in mankind that the people in this town engage in blindly. Through this story Jackson expresses her perceptions concerning traditional rituals which she considers cruel and unworthy of human observance.
             The story of this fictional lottery is a very disturbing and shocking reflection of a violent tradition following society. Jackson reveals two main attitudes that are prevalent in this society; the disturbing tendency of society to identify a scapegoat and the perception that societies are always victims of traditions and rituals that have existed in such communities (Wilson 78). At first, this short story is very worrying especially when compared to today's world. However similar things still happen in communities that still cling to their traditions which have been passed from generation to generation.


Essays Related to The Lottery and Attitudes of Society

1. Symbolism in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery,"" is a short story about an annual lottery drawing in a small rural town that has been held for over seventy-seven years. ... The name Summers is the sir name of the lottery officiate. ... The villager's attitude towards the black box and its traditions goes unquestioned. ... They are used to brutally stone the villager who has won the lottery. ... A society so caught up in tradition and ritual that is lost the ability to look at the reason for the tradition, instead continues to follow it blindly....

  • Word Count: 686
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. The Lottery, A Desensitization Of A Society

In society today people have become desensitized to the most abominable of actions. ... The attitudes of the adults of the town show an utter nonchalance toward the lottery. No one really seems to show any sort of feeling towards the lottery. ... Hutchinson, even forgot that the lottery was being held today. ... Also, their attitude toward the black box that holds the slips of paper was one of indifference. ...

  • Word Count: 717
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Lottery

"The Lottery" written by Shirley Jackson Jackson reveals how ignorant and inhuman the society can be when clinging to an old and violent tradition. ... The lottery is conducted by Mr. ... Summers has a different attitude to this tradition than Old Man Warner but on the other side and in a certain way their opinions about the lottery are much more similar than a reader can realise after the first reading of the story. ... Their attitude is extremely superficial and that is more than shocking. ... The dominant part of society is presented by Mr. ...

  • Word Count: 2043
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Lottery

The story takes a deeper look at human nature by displaying at least three typical attitudes of man while living and interacting in a society. ... And these attitudes are shown by each character's name, action and also the setting. ... Summers and the attitude of the rest of the villages show the attitude mankind has deep in the nature. ... He represents the elders in the society who keep following the wrong path and misdirecting youngsters. ... These are only a few of human's attitudes due to their nature. ...

  • Word Count: 1301
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

5. the lottery

"Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon", said Old Man Warner. ... The population fears that if they go against society they might be chosen as the lottery winner - or they fear that it would disrupt their corn season. "Some places have already quit lotteries," Mrs. ... The only person who shows their rebellious attitude is Tessie. ... The villagers are aware of her rebellious attitude and they are weary that she may be a possible cause for their crops not to be plentiful. ...

  • Word Count: 596
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Emotional Impact: The Lottery

The reactions and attitudes of the characters, the use of symbol, and the creation of suspense add to the dramatization of the event. ... This unfeeling attitude continues when Mrs. ... The idea that a society could ever become so sadistic is unnerving. ... The townspeople themselves represent the two sides of society. At the beginning the refined, civilized society. ...

  • Word Count: 654
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Lottery

Shirley made her story, "The Lottery- in order to show society how wrong it is to blindly follow a tradition or idea without realizing its purpose, and the brutality that can become of it. ... Shirley Jackson uses her story to prove that tradition over powers a person's sense of common or moral sense of decency through the ritual of the lottery in ways such as the value of tradition in the town, the feelings/attitude of the town's people, and the actions of the characters. ... There were set rules of which the lottery was conducted. ... Summers declared the lottery open. ... Trad...

  • Word Count: 1306
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Symbolism in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

It's like a strong wind triggered a flurry in the society at once. ... The lottery is held each summer, and the host of the lottery ritual, Mr. ... Summers' name symbolizes the lottery activity is not an ordinary lottery. ... Summers during the lottery, the name further symbolizes the fate of the winner of the lottery. ... Hutchinson's attitude before and after drawing and her family members' attitude to reflect the lottery has destroyed the relationship of the basic caring for each other among family members. ...

  • Word Count: 2165
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question