Cultural Norms In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Development of society is based on the fluctuation of people’s mindsets. As people grow and cultural advancements are made, mindsets change and customs become abnormal. “The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson, deals with the customs of one village during one generation. Although it is a fictional expression, inside the story lays an underlying truth that Jackson tried to share with her neighbors about the culture and society they were living in. Women and men had long been unequal. Based on the cultural norms in this story, social customs emphasized the male figure and minimized the role of women. Analyzing the story from a gender-stereotyped angle clarifies what Jackson was telling her readers about the social order during that time.

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While gender conflict might begin in the home, habits between the sexes moves from home to the public creating cultural norms. Leaders in society were always men because they were viewed as the stronger gender. Men did not use their power to include woman until much later in history. Jackson pointed out in the “The Lottery,” that men held the fate of every women living under their roof, in the palm of their hands; men could use power to control woman and society every chance they got (Kosenko 9). The men worked outside the home, which held more value, women worked in the home having and taking care of their children. Society in the story and the reality Jackson was living in were very similar when gender roles are brought into consideration. The more children a woman had in “The Lottery” meant it was less likely for anyone in her family to be chosen and stoned; while more children was expensive it also made sure the family name continued, especially if it was more boys. While having children made it less likely to be chosen, working extremely hard was also another concept the villagers had to prevent being chosen; this idea, while not voiced by anyone in the story, manifested itself in the lifestyles that the villagers lived (Kosenko 8). Customs in societies like that of “The Lottery” are led by selfish and greedy tendencies. “Even though methods for preventing death are obvious and put into practice the villagers would not rid themselves of the practice, there were other towns surrounding theirs that had stopped the practice of stoning the town members. What does that say about the people? The cruelty and selfishness in the hearts of the people superseded the desire to do right, to keep their neighbors around” (Hattenhauer 45). Before Tess was selected as the one to die, she was eager and willing to participate in the village ritual, it is apparent in the way that she rushed to get to the gathering after she remembered what