Tradition In The Lottery

To Never Graduate: Traditions Within a Family, Shirley Jackson “The Lottery” A tradition is an event that never graduates. It is a celebration for people to appreciate their ancestors and pass down the event to their sons and daughters so they can keep it alive. Although some aspects of a tradition change, the main idea or cause of the tradition to occur is always the same, just like in the short story, “The Lottery.” The key concept of the story is to show that a tradition must be equivalent to the year before if order for it to be the same custom. Deep time, blind traditions, and celebrations are important aspects to keeping the tradition alive. In the short story, “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, the author illustrates how a lottery

The other boys immediately copied their friend as “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones” (Jackson 291). Originally, most people who read this short story do not think much of the rocks as being an important symbol. However, the rocks foreshadow the death that has taken place at the end of the story. This quote shows how the rocks have meaning to the tradition. Without the rocks, there would not be a lottery. After Bobby Martin picks up a stone at the beginning of the passage, “the pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready” (Jackson 301). The quote shows how the stones are a tradition in the lottery. Every year, the young boys know to pile up the rocks to get ready for the grand finale. If the rocks are not prepared, then the victim chosen will have time to run away if their name gets picked. It is essential that the people know what to do with the rocks ahead of time. It is therefore a blind tradition because the act must be done, but no one talks about the rocks as if they are necessary. Unfortunately for Mrs. Tessie, “a stone hit her on the side of the head” (Jackson 301). The rocks are the most important part of the tradition, but no one takes the time to see it. The celebration of the lottery cannot be conducted if there are no rocks to hurt the woman. The point of the tradition is to pick someone to murder with

The people “gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock” (Jackson 291) for this special occasion. Without the people, the ceremony cannot be conducted. If there are no people in the square, then there is no one to celebrate the tradition with. People will not want to participate in a tradition if all of their friends and family do not attend either. As the children get ready for summer and the famous lottery, “they tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play” (Jackson 291). All of the children come to the lottery to play and have a good time with their friends. The children attend the lottery every year to celebrate the death of someone in their village. It is a time of year where everyone in the village comes together to celebrate this special event that has been going on for past generations. If the people have not been continuously attending the event, then no one would know what to do and there would not be a tradition to celebrate. Mr. Summers states “now, I 'll read the names--heads of families first--and the men come up and take a paper out of the box. Keep the paper folded in your hand without looking at it until everyone has had a turn” (Jackson 296). If the people do not attend the lottery, then there will be no one used as a victim to kill. If