Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, raises many questions in the back of a reader’s mind towards the gruesome yet blind rituals of human kind. “The Lottery” clearly expresses Jackson’s feelings concerning human kind’s evil nature hiding behind traditions and rituals. Having said that it shows tradition, symbolism and settings. How could people live a life like that? Ms. Jackson shows how cold-hearted and lack of compassion in people can be when affected by traditions and rituals.
In “The Lottery” tradition was exposed. Jackson gave a very cheerful theme; that every morning on June 27 it was clear and sunny, the people of the village would gather at the square and would stuff their pockets with stones. Every year the village would place a wooden black box and place
In “The Lottery” symbolism was exposed. Symbolism in the story also supports the theme. The lottery can be used as an example of today’s society. In our country, stoning is not used, but execution is. The very names of the characters in the story, for example are Mr. Summers, Tessie Hutchinson and Mr. Graves. Even tough Mrs. Delacroix seems to be a friend to Mrs. Hutchinson it is she who is shown to pick up a huge rock and persuades people to stone Tessie to death. The names of all the characters in “The Lottery” support the idea that everybody hides their evil nature by way of not expressing it. When the black box is introduced it changes the mood and atmosphere to the story and the people. The reason being that the box is what holds the key between life and death for each and every one of the people in t
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