Transcript:
Described as one of the most accomplished and influential story writers of twentieth century, Shirley Jackson showcases her skill in the short story, “The Lottery.” First published in 1948 in The New Yorker, the fictional story describes the tradition of a small town which participates in an annual lottery. The prize the lottery winner will receive remains a mystery, although seems to be a casual prize no one is too keen on winning or losing. Yet, at the end of the story it becomes clear this is not your typical lottery; the winner gets stoned to death by the other villagers. There is a stark contrast between the relaxed and light-hearted tone with which the story is told, and the depiction of brutal violence described. Shirley Jackson uses this contrast to warn humans about the danger of casually conforming to the majority.
From the beginning, Jackson describes the annual tradition of the lottery with great casualty. She sets the scene as being the morning of June 27 in a village with blossoming plants and warm, clear weather. The routine-like nature of the day is almost over-emphasized as Jackson makes a point to show that the lottery occurring today is nothing more than an obstacle to the villagers must get through in hopes that they will “get home for noon dinner” (Jackson para. 1). The fact that the villagers go through the motions of this event with neither enthusiasm nor apathy, rather disinterest, causes the reader to question what the lottery winner will receive. This is further emphasized when Mr. Summers says, “guess we better get started, get this over with, so’s we can go back to work,” (Jackson para. 10). This begins to passivity the villagers have taken when it comes to partaking in this annual tradition. The villagers are portrayed by Jackson to have no strong emotions correlated with the event, yet, despite not seeming to like the lottery, no one has gotten rid of it or stopped the tradition in any way.
Along with a lost enthusiasm for the lottery, it becomes clear that the tradition of the lottery is loosely followed, with few aspects remaining authentic. In fact, Jackson’s use of the word “lottery,” a word which typically carries a positive, eager connotation, seems to be an intentional use of misleading diction as a way to make the ending of the story all the more surprising. This further emphasizes the lack of care the villagers have in regard to the annual tradition, even down to what it is referred to as. The evidence for this is clear when Jackson describes the that the “original paraphernalia for the lottery has been lost long ago,” (Jackson para. 5). Jackson uses this description to emphasize to readers that the tradition is not one that has a memorable history, in fact, it seems to have no remarkable purpose at all. Jackson describes a black box which carries slips of paper the lottery, and then shares that the original tradition would have wooden chips used instead. This aspect alone works to instill the idea that many authentic aspects of the lottery have been lost except for the apparent outcome. Jackson makes this especially clear when she explains, “Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones,” (Jackson para. 72). The villagers do not put any value into the history of the lottery, but still value the use of violence as an outcome of the lottery. This once again portrays the idea of a causal nature when it comes to the lottery. Jackson’s repeated use of declarative sentences to describe how the tradition is played out shows there is little emotion in Jackson’s writing beyond a casual description of the brutal things occurring around the characters in her story.
Despite the harsh outcome of the lottery, no one seems to be questioning why it must occur. At the beginning of the story, the children are seen collecting stones while they discuss the past school year, not questioning why the stones must be collected. The men in the village gather in the town square and discuss “planting and rain, tractors and taxes,” (Jackson para. 3). The women gossip amongst one another whilst waiting for the lottery to begin. Between those groups of people, no one is seen protesting or resisting the tradition, although it is apparent they all know the outcome. Despite the lack of outroar against the lottery, there is still nervous tension described as the villagers draw slips from the black box. It causes the reader to question why no one defies the lottery or questions the majority. This testament remains true until the “winner” of the lottery is selected, Tessie Hutchinson. Upon being the random winner of this heinous act, she exclaims “It isn’t fair,” just as she is getting stoned to death (Jackson para. 75). This exists in stark contrast to the mood of the rest of the story. All along, peaceful scenery, a casual tone, and a description of a celebration, leads the reader to believe something positive is happening, when in reality the story culminates with a violent act, while the villagers remain casual. Jackson’s purpose becomes clear at this point; the villagers casually conformed to the activities of the day, with no resistance until they are the victim of the tradition.
Thus, it becomes clear that there is a danger in conformity. Everyone in the village was aware of their equal risk to encounter the same fate as Tessie Hutchinson but no one spoke up until it was too late. The story uses a casual tone to show the passivity with which the villagers participate in the annual lottery knowing the risk it has. The story is a testament to the risk of your own conformation. Through a stark contrast between the relaxed and light-hearted tone with which the story is told and the depiction of brutal violence described, Shirley Jackson is able to warn humans about the danger of casually conforming to the majority. Jackson shows that one’s choice to submit to the majority can result in outrageous things being treated as the norm. Ultimately warning the reader to question tradition and do not wait until its too late to speak up against violence and injustice.
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