Analysis of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery - Essay Example

He title Lottery seems to be something that gives hope to the readers. But the theme is a different one which gives hope to the brutal participants of the village but painful to the readers. Shirley Jackson makes strong references to the inactiveness of the human mind towards the sufferings of the people. It is a present day threat to kill a human being physically or mentally for the sake of others. The villagers in the story may have the support of a false belief, and they are part of a tradition.

But in this era also we can meet such people or groups consciously making attempts to prey some others for the personal benefit. Since it is written in the background of World War, the readers are forced to think that the author was attacking the atrocity exhibited by the participants of the war towards the thousands of poor and innocent. Lottery is an annual event taking place in village. Everybody seems to be very much inters and eagerly looking for the day. The date is mentioned as a June 27.

Everybody approaches this day as usual and with a cold mind. It seems to be part of a celebration in general. Everybody is ready with stones in their hand. The senior citizen Mr, summer makes the list of all the people in the village. The one who get the black dot is stoned to death by others, even his/her own family members are ready to throw at the victim without any emotion. They do this in the belief of getting a good future for the entire village. As in all case there are some who oppose it, some others are here to support it.

But here Tessie Hutchinson only shouts against the mob practice. She is also part of the mob and is ready to stone some others without any hesitation. But now when she is selected she automatically becomes an individual with her own voice, determination and attitude. But the mob voice is only heard and accepted. Tessie shouts “You did not give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It was not fair”. Now she has judgment of her own. The old man who really enjoys killing others in the name of tradition also stands for the brutal face of the society.

Tradition and common belief seems to be more powerful and active in this society. The mob gathered there also is a symbol of supremacy of belief. The mob has no emotions. Even the family members of the Tessie Hutchinson become part of mob and never exhibit a n emotional attachment to her. The purpose of doing this, the outcome of this action etc are not known to the public. The only individual questioning this activity is Tessie. Bu she is silenced by all others. All of them are in a hurry to ‘finish’ the Lottery.

This is the common attitude of the society which is constituted by the individuals. Society is always ignorant of the personal suffering of individual. They are all after the common goodness. But for the common goodness some people are becoming prey for others. Very cleverly Jackson points out the self-centeredness and lack of love and concern for the others through Tessie who points out her own daughter and son in law to stoned instead of her .She tells “make them take their chance “. Fear and relief are presented as consecutive emotions since it depends on choice.

Romano write about this fear “This fear, however, does not clearly lead to a crisis of conscience; instead, the villagers release this fear by participating in a violent sacrificial killing that bonds the group