Scapegoating Individuals in The Lottery and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas - Essay Example

? In the short story "The Lottery" Shirley Jackson explores the unfortunate reality of a greedy, selfish, and self-centered society. The story was written in the 1940's when capitalism was gaining ground and the country seemed to embrace the dog-eat-dog mentality. In the story Tessie Hutchinson was selected to be stoned to death as a symbol of "the one" that must die for the sake of others. The town needed a scapegoat; someone to symbolize that a non-productive member of society has no place and therefore must be sacrificed. A kind of weeding-out process; the weak must die to make room for the strong, hard-working members. Mrs. Hutchinson was late for the event because she was "doing her dishes". Hardly an event that contributes to society as a whole, as far as the important people were concerned; not like a Postman or the Mayor, she was simply a housewife. The story exemplifies a heartless society who wants this process to "hurry up" so they can "get back to work". A society void of feelings toward one another, void of compassion and empathy. Tessie's husband did not step forward and offer himself as a sacrifice in her place; this is not how it was done. Even old man Warner who'd been coming to this annual event for 70 years did not feel the process should be changed; he was numb to the cruelty of it all. They all accepted the stoning "lottery" as a way of life. Much like society today, they did not want to get involved in making changes to eliminate this murderous freak show, as long as they weren't the ones picked, they were all fine with it. Although some townspeople raise questions about the lottery, they all go along with it in the end. Thus, they become unthinking members of a herd, forfeiting their individuality and sending Tessie Hutchinson to her death. They refuse to examine their traditions and continue to take part in a barbaric ritual. After executing a woman by stoning, they will go home to eat lunch or go back to work as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The entire lottery went on for lesser than two hours, therefore it could possibly start at ten o'clock in the am yet still be through in time to make it easy for the residents to get home by midday. The villagers do not excuse children from the lottery. Even Nancy Hutchinson, 12, and her little brother, Davy, must draw from the black box. If a child draws the slip of paper with the black dot, he or she will be stoned. Children also take part in the stoning. Little Davy is so small that he throws pebbles. Only two people remain to draw, their father and mother. Nancy and Bill laugh despite knowing that either their father or mother would draw the paper with the black dot and die. Mr. Hutchinson pulls from his wife's hand the slip of paper she has drawn--the losing lot--and holds it up for all to see. He does not plead for his wife nor exhibit any sympathy. Instead, he becomes one of the executioners. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” truly is a metaphysical fable with a skimpy story featuring plain as well as abstract descriptions of character types; the city of Omelas is the core emphasis of the narrative. In the tale the child’s predicament is the foundation of almost all empathy in the town. “There is no vapid, reckless happiness”; almost all the inhabitants realize that “they, are fond of the kid, are not free” from the “dreadful justice of realism” that anyone, is just as imperative as every other, must be dehumanized for the democratic benefit of the mass. Understanding of the kid “makes achievable the nobility of their structure, the sadness of their music, the perceptiveness of their knowledge” it pushes as well as motivates, offers empathy as well as robs the individuals of their innocence. To dispose of the happiness of countless numbers for the possibility of the joy of one The prosperity of the town is guaranteed by a scapegoat, one tiny child who sits alone in a cell under tortuous conditions. The forsaken kid is the spoiled base which their amazing culture is placed on. A number of them figure out why , and some really do not , however they all realize that their happiness , the appeal of their city , the sensitivity of their friendships , the overall health of their kids , the knowledge of their scholars , the expertise of their makers , may be even the large quantity of their crop and the friendly weather conditions of their skies , are dependent entirely on this child's monstrous anguish . There may well not even be a sympathetic expression spoken to the youngster, lest he be tugged, possibly even for a moment, away from his “abominable misery”. In the event that the kid were raised into the sunlight away from that ghastly place , if it were cleansed and given food and reassured , that would be constructive , indeed ; however if it were carried out , in that precise hour almost all the success and elegance and pleasure of Omelas would wither as well as be ruined . Those are the conditions. To trade off all the amazing benefits and sophistication of every lifestyle in Omelas for that sole, minute development: to dispose of the happiness of countless numbers for the possibility of contentment of a single one: that could be to allow remorse within the walls without doubt .Most townspeople have no problem with this arrangement. This is a sad commentary on human nature and may be truer than many people would like to admit. The people of Omelas have a choice that is unavoidable, a live option: they must either accept the guilt of torturing the scapegoat child in prison or walk away. They react differently towards the child occasionally the door rattles awfully much and unbolts and someone or perhaps a number of people, are available. One of these may enter and shudder the kid to ensure it is standing up. The other people by no means come near; nevertheless look in at it with scared, disgusted opinions. They fill up the container with meals and the drinking water jug hurriedly, the doorway is secured; the eyes disappear and the individuals at the doorway by no means say anything at all. This is normally shared with youngsters when they are of ages between eight and twelve , when they appear competent at comprehend ; and many who come to see the kid are young adults , although in some cases a grownup comes to see the kid . Regardless of how properly the issue is clearly stated to them, this youthful audience is invariably stunned and sickened at the scene. They feel repugnance, which they had assumed themselves more advanced than. They really feel rage, outrage, impotence, regardless of all of the answers. They would be willing to do anything for the kid; there is however practically nothing they can accomplish. Frequently the youngsters go home in sorrows, or in a tearless frustration, once they have seen the kid and experienced this horrific phenomenon. They could issue over it for weeks or decades. However as duration passes they commence to be aware that even if the kid could possibly be unconfined, it would not obtain much good of its independence. Their rips at the nasty injustice parched when they start to recognize the horrific justice of realism, and to live with it. Sometimes some of those young people who go see the kid do not go home to cry or craze, will not, as a matter of fact, go home at all. Occasionally also a gentleman or a lady much elderly falls quiet for a day or two and then departs home. These guys venture out into the roads, and wander down the road by themselves. They continue strolling and walk directly beyond the city of Omelas, through the lovely gates. They continue strolling through the farmlands of Omelas. Every one moves alone, youth, they walk away to a less happy place and cease to support the unjust torture. References 1. Kennedy, X.J., and Dana Gioa (2004). An Introduction to Fiction, 8th ed. Longman Read More