It is clear this is a satirical piece of literature for the reason that when reading this, it is obvious the future was embellished and it was not going to be how the story portrayed it. “Vonnegut has shown a disdain for social Darwinism, the theory that individuals or groups achieve advantage over others as the re... ... middle of paper ... ... it was against his will because of his reaction. In “The Lottery,” it is easy to tell throughout the story that the lottery drawing is not a positive thing. People are eager to find out if they are the lottery winners because they are waiting to find out if they will die. Their tone is out of desperation in hopes of living for the reason that they do not want to be stoned.
Over the years many critics have wrote articles on Shirley Jackson's numerous works. Many critics had much to say about Jackson's most famous short story, "The Lottery". Her insights and observations about man and society are disturbing; and in the case of "The Lottery," they are shocking. "The themes themselves are not new, evil cloaked in seeming good, prejudice and hypocrisy, loneliness and frustration, psychological studies of minds that have slipped the bonds of reality" (Friedman). Literary critic, Elizabeth Janeway wrote that, " 'The Lottery' makes its effect without having to state a moral about humanity's need to deflect the knowledge of its own death on a victim.
This story has shown different ways to express symbols, themes, and metaphor that was used in order to have a stronger meaning towards the main purpose of the story. I think Shirley Jackson wrote an amazing short story to warn people about how society can become so corrupt even with our realizing it. The lottery can be a cruel story to read, but this story helped understand how tradition can lead to having
Jackson uses many Symbols when it comes to the objects and even the true meanings of the character’s name. The author used symbolism to help the reader understand the main idea and why the town’s people do these things. Jackson also made it easy for the reader to understand why the characters have the names in the story. There are many symbolic meanings located in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Perales4 Mr. Summers name in the lottery represents the tim... ... middle of paper ... ...ngs of the characters last name.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary also lists Plot as “a series of events that form the story in a novel, movie, etc.” The combination of these methods assists the reader with the understanding of the story, the meaning, and the significance. Shirley Jackson uses symbolism, allegory, and plot to illustrate a theme of true human nature in The Lottery. Symbolism plays a significant role, represented in The Lottery by people and objects. For example, the meaning of the black box in the story is deep yet simple. It is important to note here that the box is noted in the story to be aged, neglected and the black paint faded.
The winner of the lottery will stoned to death by the society. Although there is no main character in the story, the story develops within other important elements. There are some important elements of the story that develop the theme of the story: narrator and its point of view, symbolism, and main conflict. The story “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, argues practicing a tradition without understanding the meaning of the practice is meaningless and dangerous. The narrator of the story and its point of view are important to understand the theme of the story.
Perhaps that is because the story seems such a transparent attack on blind obedience to tradition that little or no exegesis is necessary, a reading usually encouraged by discussion questions accompanying this much-anthologized story. But "The Lottery" is not an assault on mindless, cultural conformity. It is a grim, even nihilistic, parable of the evil inherent in human nature.” This could also be true about The Lottery. I like to look at it as a story about tradition. It is important that people know where their traditions come from.
In the short story of “ The Lottery By Shirley Jackson we see that these villages continue this lottery not only because they conform, but because they have evilness within them and continuously participating in this lottery is how they illustrate their evilness. Coulthard ends his article by saying, “The Lottery is not the story of a custom that makes no sense, but of one that fulfills a deep and horrifying need. (Coulthard 2). Readers can see that this story of the lottery is not just a story about villagers who conform, but villagers who conform to such a thing because of the evilness they have within. Participating in this evil deed is how the villagers release their evilness.
To a first time reader, Shirley Jackson's “The Lottery” seems simply as a curious tale with a shocking ending. After repetitive reading of Jackson's tale, it is clear that each sentence is written with a unique purpose often using symbolism. Her use of symbols not only foreshadow its surprise and disturbing ending but allows the reader to evaluate the community's pervert traditional rituals. She may be commenting on the season of the year and the grass being “richly green” or the toying with the meanings of the character's names but each statement applies to the meaning and lesson behind her story. As far as symbolism in objects, the most prominent and often mentioned is the “black box” from which the names are drawn from (Jackson 573).
There are regions in parts of the globe that take part in normal activities that, here in the United States, would be considered completely abnormal, even inhumane. Yet, traditional ties sewn into a cultural realm deems certain events, such as “the lottery”, to be well within the bounds of socially acceptable. Old Man Warner epitomizes the relevance of the power of tradition in this short story, and the symbol that takes shape from it. A veteran of seventy-seven years in the lottery, he snorts at the idea of giving it up. “Nothing but trouble in that… Pack of young fools,” he says when it is mentioned that some towns have given it up.