Biblical Allusions in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery

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Throughout many works of literature, authors have used allusions for the reader to be able to make multiple connects between many different important works of art. In all types of literature, whether it is a poem, novel, or part of a casual/scintillating conversation, allusions are between the lines of most readings, connecting dots immediately due to their hidden, yet obvious meanings. Once one takes a closer look, the reader can observe that Jackson uses biblical allusions in her short story to create many references to different stories and facts in the Bible: such as sin, Jesus saving Mary, Jesus dying on the cross, and more. Making each statement count in her short story to touch the reader, she uses variety approaches of literary device to help conduct the allusions that she is implying. Using names, symbolism, and flashbacks, Jackson is tries to almost become identical to a few different events within the Bible.
First off, in order to understand the biblical allusions that are strongly expressed through Jackson’s literature within “The Lottery”, one must grasp that Jackson writes of the citizens within the town lacking unconditionally rich information that supports the reasoning behind the event of the lottery. Although most of the citizens within the town strongly believe that the lottery is just another assembly that they do every year, nowhere near close to the real answer, there were mixed thoughts as what the lottery was remembered for, all not fully capturing the plentiful meaning behind it. Some people remembered there had been a tuneless chant that had been rattled off duly each year; while others believed that the official of the lottery used to stand just so when he said or sang it, others believed that he was su...

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...th Tessie coming into the Lottery, and Clyde Dunbar being out completely, it shows that they were both unclean, Tessie being the sacrifice and Dunbar being out broken by sin. With both of them being out, it puts forth the image that they were committing adultery and that is the true reason why Mrs. Hutchinson is late, knowing that the rest of the town were all together in one place leaving no one to catch them (Anonymous). In contrast, Tessie is the town’s scapegoat this year, and no one stops the stoning this time (Anonymous).

Works Cited

"Leviticus Chapter 16." LEVITICUS CHAPTER 16. Nov. 2007. 19 Feb. 2014 .
"Mary Magdalene." Mary Magdalene. Gospel-Mysteries. 13 Feb. 2014 .
Anonymous. PowerPoint. 14 Feb. 2014
Anonymous. Word Document. 14 Feb. 2014

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