The Lottery,
by Shirley Jackson
The story begins with the setting being described as a pleasant summer day. Making what is to come all the more shocking and out of place, unnatural. You become aware that something is off, when it mentions how the men’s jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laugh. The box I suppose has some sort of symbol in itself. The fact that nobody wishes to make a new one, they still cling to tradition, yet that box is rotting away. Then, I wonder why Jackson spends so much time describing how they changed from wood chips to paper for the names, and why it matters where the box has been stored. I suppose that is a device he uses to stretch out the anticipation, for we still don't know what the lottery is at this point. As was mentioned in the beginning, the "ceremony" only takes 2 hours, so he takes his time describing those 2 hours in detail. He describes how so many aspects of the ritual have been forgotten; even the purpose seems to have been forgotten. As the story continues, Mrs. Hutchinson arrives, and in very good humor. Everyone is very cheerful, which makes you think that the occasion will in fact be perfectly normal. It makes you all the more surprised in the end. It’s interesting how they emphasize the role of men. Perhaps it’s supposed to further lone itself to tradition? This thing about tradition comes up again when they mention another village considering giving up the lottery. Then the scene suddenly changes from good humor to “It isn’t fair” when Mrs. Hutchinson is the one chosen to be the victim. All I can understand from the story is how people cling to tradition. No matter how ridiculous it seems, they blindly follow it for the sacred reason that its tradition. It is what has always been done. They have always continued in this stubborn fashion without questioning.
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