The Importance Of Tradition In 'The Lottery'

Words: 693
Pages: 3
Open Document
Walking Blind
Tradition is mostly followed and praised, but its negative and devastating effects are often ignored. “It is our ancestors’ heritage,” many people claim, usually turning their backs on the agony caused by their tradition. In the short story, The Lottery, Shirley Jackson shows how gormless people can be to follow a tradition while they clearly see how excruciating it is. The village talked about in The Lottery appreciated and followed their tradition but no one ever dared to criticize it- it had always been practiced. The lottery, whose name appears to be good, was an act of extreme cruelty. It was conducted each year just to shed innocent blood. Doing things without a reasonable explanation can be considered as a mixture of ignorance …show more content…
“You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair!” (Jackson 4). This was Tessie’s complaint when her husband, Bill, picked the paper with a black spot on it, which meant that he was the winner of the lottery. She complained that everything wasn’t fair in favor of her husband but surprisingly when the second round of the lottery was conducted and Tessie picked the black-spotted piece of paper, Bill never objected in favor of his wife. He just forced the paper out of Tessie’s hands and showed the crowd that she was the lottery’s scapegoat. Tessie had tried her best to fight for her husband, but what did she get in return except betrayal?
In fact, the value of tradition should be based on how beneficial it is to the members of a given society. The Lottery sets an example that should not be followed by any society that wants to be prosperous. The fact that it is tradition does not mean that it is not debatable. Its importance should be appreciated, but its brutal effects should not be ignored; they should rather be approached and solved. People should always remember that they are the ones to make tradition, but it should be set up for the benefit of the whole
Show More

Related Documents: The Importance Of Tradition In 'The Lottery'

Examples Of Foreshadowing In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson demonstrates through her appalling short story "The Lottery" the perils of following tradition without questioning the morality of such actions. The story takes place in a small village during the spring planting season. There is a reference to planting crops in the near future and the ritual of "The Lottery" seems to be geared around this time. Mr. Warner shares a short precept "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon" (Jackson 4). The saying seems to be the catalyst that’s driving the…

Words 285 - Pages 2

Mending Wall And The Lottery

change and tradition. Throughout the story, Frost explains to his audience that there are two men who live side by side. There is a wall separating them from one another. One man believes that the wall should not be there while the other believes that it has no reason to be done away with. The neighbor is not interested in changing the way that things have always been. On the other hand, Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery”, is a story that depicts the village’s idea of a tradition. The people…

Words 874 - Pages 4

Similarities Between The Destructors And The Lottery

short fiction story “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson, the theme primarily focuses on the dangers of how people irrationally participate in traditions without second guessing why do they do them, in contrast, to the short fiction story “The Destructors” written by Graham Greene which theme focuses on how people lose their innocence while amid destructions, However, both stories have an underlining comparison of how human nature is dangerous if it is unchecked. “The Lottery” theme focuses on the…

Words 880 - Pages 4

Symbolism In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Shirley Jackson’s fictional short story, “The Lottery,” contains both obvious and hidden symbols leading to the stories collective mentality theme. The stories flat and empty characters appear to the audience as everyday small-town people, but their surnames deserve a second glance. A stool and a box are nothing out of the ordinary, at least not the first time around, and as readers experience Jackson’s shock factor, they will take note of their symbolic nature. Each symbol, abundantly scattered…

Words 491 - Pages 2

Tradition And Ritual In The Lottery

Research Paper: Tradition and Rituals in " The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Tradition and rituals are values that bring families together. In "The Lottery", written by Shirley Jackson, there's an annual event that the villagers of the small town participate in. It's ran by a character known as Mr. Summers. The black box plays a significant role in the village due to the effects on the villagers. This involves a character fatal death sentence, disloyalty between characters, and the geographical effect…

Words 485 - Pages 2

English: Short Story and Mr. Adams Essay

Alexandria belisa English 255 9 October 2014 “The Lottery” and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” The theme of “sacrifice” is integral to the author’s purpose in both “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D. H. Lawrence. While the two authors use the idea of sacrifice in very different ways, the importance of sacrifice is clearly delineated. However, Jackson and Lawrence approach the theme from separate angles and with two very unique purposes in mind. This paper will…

Words 1081 - Pages 5

mr dksdk Essay

spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset or even as much tradition as was represented by the black box” author shows how firmly entrenched the villagers are in the lottery’s tradition and how threatening they find the idea of change “There was in proper swearing-in author of Mr. Summers by the postmaster,” all this fuss lends the lottery a distinctively official quality “You didn't give him time enough to take any paper he wanted.…

Words 443 - Pages 2

Essay on The Lottery

In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” one of the main characters is Mr. Summers. “The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers.” Summers might be the busy body of the village, but he is not the protagonist of the story. Because he represents the status quo situation in the village, his presence in the story is one of the most significant symbols of “The Lottery.” Summers represents blind adherence to ritual, as he is in charge…

Words 647 - Pages 3

Essay on TheLotteryDecember5th

idea is seen in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Ms. Jackson develops her short story using symbols, such as names, objects, numbers and specific times in the setting to further the idea that superstitions overtime become rituals. Ms. Jackson uses a network of allegorical symbolism in “The Lottery” to build around a severe commentary of how tradition works in American culture. Tradition both as a means of everyday routine, and also the larger kinds of religious traditions and superstitions that…

Words 2280 - Pages 10

Texas Vs Johnson Majority Opinion Analysis

Doesn’t everyone want to fit in and be accepted? Then why do some people not allow others to do so. Bullied by Bill Brummel, “Texas vs Johnson Majority Opinion” by William Brennan, and The “Lottery” by Shirley Jackson all show examples of how people are and are not accepting. These three selections show how ideas and people are embraced and the positive and negative outcomes of that. The idea of accepting one another is needed in life, without it there would be depression and chaos. Although people…

Words 799 - Pages 4