Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' - Book Report/Review Example

"Lottery" relates a similar tale of brutality. The story not only draws criticism on the ancient practices but also to those of modern world. For example during World War 2, the Jews were brutalized and killed without any reason. There were people who did not agree with it, but no one said anything. The story starts of with a brief discussion of a regular town, with villagers gathered for an annual event on the June 27th. The author describes the season vividly to help the reader visualize the place as a pleasant gathering "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.

" The excitement about the lottery is made evident when the author says that in many villages', people collect well in advance for the entire lottery process to take place. The villagers seem to be somber yet they do not seem to be mourning over the proceedings that are to follow "They (the men) stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." The sight of kids gathering stones "Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones" and pilling them into stacks can be dissuaded as a juvenile act however the fact that the men of the village gather away from the stone might bear the seeds of early suspicion in a readers mind.

In the event, a persons name is randomly selected with the help of a lottery drawn by all the villagers. In the story once the papers have been withdrawn the unfortunate family turns out to be the Hutchison. A second trial of fate is made, to see who wins the lottery of death and Mrs. Hutchinson is the chosen one with a black mark. The winning bet is to loose ones own life and in the most crude forms- being stoned by own friends and family. Tessie Hutchinson is stoned to death by all the villagers, inclusive of her own family- her children, young boys and girls.

She is the sacrifice made to the lord to ensure good harvest and feed some superstitious belief the villagers have held for years. The person organizing the lottery subtly lets out that the lottery has been held for seventy seven years. The participation in the annual tribute seems to be a compulsory act as every child, man and women are marked present. The tempo maintained in the beginning of the lottery seems cheerful and the light talks and gathering makes t feel like a happy get together "The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, and the Halloween program".

The lottery is surrounded by such enthusiasm that it seems the prize for the lottery would be a joyous sum. However, the true evil is revealed only at the very end of the story. The story and its acrid outcomes are left bland without much description, thereby leaving the reader to visualize the environment. Mind.The town which seems like any other common town, where every person is acquainted with the other and is cordial when they meet. However, the bitter truth is revealed when the tables are turned.

Even Tessie's own family members turned against her and stoned her down to death. It shows the hypocrisy in the society and that such evil acts can be