Research Paper On The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Tradition Hurts

A tradition is a belief or custom that has been passed down from generation to generation. Traditions tend to influence how people act and live in their society. In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” a small village gathers in excitement to partake in their yearly tradition, the lottery. The lottery requires the heads of each family to select a piece of paper out of the infamous black wooden box, similar to how their ancestors once did it. The individual that is left holding the paper with the black dot receives the opportunity for their family to take the grand prize. Next, each member of the family approaches the black box, one by one, and chooses a paper. The individual that possesses the paper with the marking is the unlucky

The winner of the lottery is stoned to death and this brings out the inherent evil of the villagers. From a very young age, the villagers are groomed to follow tradition as it is evident when the boys would gather and select “the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson 247). The boys enjoyed the stoning and appeared to be experts. They preferred the stones they can throw with accuracy so they can impose pain on the unlucky person who won the lottery for the sake of tradition. In the story, Mrs. Delacroix appears to be good friends with Mrs. Hutchinson but once Mrs. Hutchinson picks the unlucky paper with the black dot her demeanor changes and her evil side takes over. The narrator states, “Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar. ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Hurry Up’ ” (Jackson 252). Mrs. Delacroix did not want to just inflict pain but possibly place the fatal blow. She knew the stoning is a group effort and wanted Mrs. Dunbar to join in. Another villager had evil intentions when they placed stones in the hands of little Davy. Mrs. Hutchinson’s youngest son is coerced into partaking in the massacre of his own mother. The narrator notes, “Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual . . . they still remembered to use the stones” (Jackson 252), which demonstrates the evil that lies inherently in them and the pleasure the villagers receive from the horrific stoning of a fellow