The Lottery
The publication of Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery,” resulted in quite a stir, upsetting many people. Many readers furious and stunned sent numerous letters of complaints and objections after the story was published in The New Yorker. “The Lottery” portrays the dark side of human nature. Jackson claims that she wrote the story primarily to illustrate an example that even ordinary individuals have the ability to do monstrous things. Circumstances, pressures from social groups, such as friends, family, or mere acquaintances can negatively affect people. Her story shows that an individual’s violent, negative actions, which may be out of their normal behavior are often influenced, encouraged, or persuaded by pressures from some type of group relations. “The Lottery” portrays life in a small town, where everyone knows everybody. Once a year the town folk gather in the town square for an unusual lottery-type drawing, in which everyone participates, but there is only one “winner”. The “winner” of this particular drawing loses something, however – his life, which is quickly ended by stoning, in which everyone in town is participates.
Furthermore, lottery day ritual itself is important. The procedure itself on lottery day is always the same, and done carefully. The austerity of the process lends credibility to the importance of the occasion and tradition, subtly validating it in each individual’s mind. The heads of each family were required to draw a slip of paper as Mr. Summers calls them up one by one. After one family draws the black dotted paper, another drawing takes place. All members in the family are given a slip of paper, again with only one containing a black dot. Whoever draws this final paper, is to be stoned by the entire community. There are many rules as to what family member can draw in place of another. Peer pressure plays a major role in these townspeople committing this brutal act of murder year after year. Each and every member of the community is involved in the lottery, from children to the elderly. Everybody is aware of who is present or not. The lottery is not initiated until everyone is present, or accounted for. The traditions have been promulgated from generation to generation. Even children at a young age participate, preparing the stones before hand. “The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready” (Jackson 358). All of the community members have been involved in the lottery for so long they cannot even remember a time when they have not. “The people ha
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Approximate Word count = 940
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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