“The Lottery” was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and contains many notable themes that are significant and relevant to discuss even today. The author tells a story of a fictional village which practices a long-established custom of conducting an annual lottery. The symbolism chosen by Jackson constitutes an important part of the work since it has many underlying meanings which help the reader understand the original idea of the author. Essentially, this short story highlights the problem of societal flaws based on group instincts, and the lottery itself symbolizes human tendency towards irrational activity justified by traditions, while Mrs. Hutchinson represents the victim of it.
The story’s primary symbol is the lottery, which reflects the notion of how easily people can embrace the most outrageous ideas if they are considered a custom which has been practiced by many generations. The lottery is carried out to make sure that there will be a good harvest, which is mentioned by Old Man Warner, who says, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon” (Jackson 4). Yet, the village community does not question the fact there is hardly any connection between a murder and a good yield. Their sole justification for the actions they perform is the tradition, which must not be challenged. Naturally, the news about how people from neighboring places had rejected such rituals is negatively met by the villagers who claim that such tendencies may actually lead to people living back in caves (Jackson 4). This once again demonstrates how the senses of individuals participating in the lottery have been numbed by the traditions to the point when they no longer realize its real implications.
The tradition has become a norm in this society, and its members do not view it as a problem, moreover, they maintain it and ensure to conduct it every year. The black box, which has replaced the original paraphernalia, which was lost a long time ago, is a testament to how long this ritual has been practiced (Jackson 1). Thus, the lottery embodies unarguable customs people espouse and their potential consequences, which, no matter how atrocious, can be reasoned with by those who commit them.
The group action is essential for understanding the influence of traditions on society, and the stoning was used by Jackson to stress the role of shared responsibility. Stoning is one of the most ancient types of executions, and its main advantage is the fact that there are not one but many people who perform it simultaneously. This is the reason why stoning was so popular in the past and why it is important for “The Lottery,” it implies that not a single human can be held accountable for the execution. For the story and its core idea, this is vital as the villagers clearly identify their enemy and participate in the killing together. It ensures solidarity among the members of the community and demonstrates how group instincts control individuals’ emotions and reasoning. If, at some point, a person may start questioning the necessity to commit annual murders, they themselves can become subject to death by stoning. The tribal nature of the lottery ensures the prevalence of the tradition since no one will risk to challenge it.
The irrational behavior encouraged by traditions has its victims, and Mrs. Hutchinson is the one in this short story, but she also serves as a symbol of many others. It is important to keep in mind that the story was written in the US in 1948, the time when segregation, racism, and sexism were on the rise. Through the character of Mrs. Hutchinson, Jackson tried to show the readers how American society was plagued by traditions of discrimination. Black people were the main scapegoats whose rights were severely limited, but the reasons for this were as irrational as the ones used by the villagers. People believed that African Americans did not deserve to be equal to white people partially because it was a traditional stance supported by previous generations. It is also interesting to see how Mrs. Hutchinson reacts to the situation, she says that not giving her husband enough time was not fair, but she does not question the fairness of the lottery (Jackson 5). Thus, Mrs. Hutchinson symbolizes the victims of irrational traditions, which makes the reader think about the current state of their society.
To conclude, “The Lottery” is a symbolic story that reveals the shortcomings of society and the negative impacts of following customs without reason. “The Lottery” demonstrates that customs, over time, can become ingrained in society to the point when they start jeopardizing the sense of morality. The story highlights how flaws of society and irrational behavior can be justified by traditions and customs and how group instincts make it impossible to challenge them. Once the audience gets acquainted with “The Lottery,” they get a wide range of aspects to think about. Readers, by taking a moment to pause and think about the traditions of their own societies, can better understand the flaws which exist in them.
Work Cited
Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” 1948. PDF file.