Sacrifice In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Lottery Legacy Most small towns have their own special tradition. Nokomis, Illinois has a Homecoming carnival the second weekend in July every year, Witt has Labor Day, and Hillsboro has Old Settlers. These events bring the community together in celebration. However, in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery on July 27th the community does not gather for a celebration; instead they gather nervously awaiting the yearly tradition of “The Lottery”. In this village members of the community draw slips of paper from an old worn wooden box to determine who will be sacrificed for the greater good of the village. It is suggested in the story that the sacrifice is for the growth of the corn. The ritual of the lottery has been going on for so long that the majority of people don’t know why they continue the tradition or its origin; the community only knows that they always have. The ritual of human sacrifice dates beyond memory and was used in many cultures. Sacrifice has been performed by many cultures for a diverse amount of reasons and in a variety of ways.
There were cultures whose enemies of war were sacrificed to gods as a gratuity for victory. Other human sacrifices were performed as a token of status; leaders required their slaves, courtiers and followers to accompany them into the underworld (Parker-Pearson). Obviously the little town of 300 people were not sacrificing one person every year as a token of war, or requirement for a leader’s death. Furthermore, many original aspects of the ritual were no long used. They no longer held recitals, the official no longer chanted, wood chips had been replaced with paper, and the original box had been replaced long before anyone can remember. All that could be said about the origin of the ritual was from the oldest member of the community, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.” This suggests “The Lottery” is used as a ritual sacrifice to the harvest. So, who are these people? Are they of Indian ancestry? Is it still possible even in today’s civilized world? Unfortunately, human sacrifice still exists. A short search on CBSNews.com and one could easily find the story of a seven year old girl having her liver cut out as part of a ritual to the harvest. That’s right; two men were arrest in New Delhi, India after Lalita Titi’s body was found dismembered after part of a ritual sacrifice in October of 2011. Sadly, it’s not just the tribal people of India. In October of 2010, the Huffington Post published an article, written by Donna Henes, stating many different cultures would sacrifice a person “to ensure healthy crops and immunity from disease.” Danna Henes’s report mentions Aztecs, Incas, Indians of Ecuador, Philippines’ Bagobos of Mindanao, Africa, and North American Skidi Pawnees. However, all of these rituals were in the spring – during planting – or in the fall around harvest. What makes the group of people in The Lottery chooses the 27th of June every year? Has the American “melting pot” caused the combining of rituals? Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans, Ancient Chinese, Vikings, Druids, Mayans, and Aztecs all celebrated the summer solstice (Summer Solstice Traditions). Most of these ancient cultures just celebrated the summer solstice with bon fires and large celebrations. It is very likely in the United States of American to have a combination of different cultures come together and create new traditions out of the old. The adaptation of American life can be seen in many aspects. It is not difficult for one to find authentic cultural foods, clothing, religious dwelling, and traditions. This writer simply wishes there had been more detail to Shirley Jackson’s tale of humanity gone awry. The only piece of tradition in The Lottery, outside of sacrifice by stoning, seeming to width stand the test of time has been the black box. The current black box is weathered; the paint has faded or chipped away. It is even believe this box was created from pieces of the original ritual box. For many years there has been talk of replacing the box, but the idea is soon forgotten. In comparison to the black box is Pandora’s Box. Much can be found on Pandora’s Box. However, the myth which best fit previously known knowledge was written by N.S. Gills. The story of Pandora’s Box truly begins as the son of Zeus gives mankind the gift of fire. It sounds a little silly. However, Zeus believed the ability to create and harness fire was only meant for the gods. Zeus was also somewhat of a trickster and his gifts normally came with a price or consequence. After some time had passed Zeus gave his son the gift of companionship by giving him a wife, the creation of the first woman, Pandora. On their wedding day Zeus had bestowed upon Pandora two wedding presents: the gift of curiosity, and a box. The key to the box was giving to Epimetheus, the son of Zeus, and both Pandora and Epimetheus were instructed to never open the box. It comes as no surprise; being as Pandora was gifted with curiosity, on a day that her husband was absent Pandora acquired the key to the box. Upon opening the box miseries mankind had never known were released onto the earth. Until that moment the world had not known pain, sorrow, illness, or hardship. When Epimetheus returned home he slammed the box shut as Pandora coward in the corner. Epimetheus was too late. All of the evils had already been released onto the people of the world. Shortly after, they began to hear a small voice coming from the box. It was the voice of hope pleading to be set free. Slowly they reopened the box one last time releasing hope onto the people of the world (ancienthistory.about.com). Setting the box from The Lottery and Pandora’s Box side by side, they more than likely have very different physical features. However, it is the power these two boxes hold that creates their importance. Both boxes contain fear, pain, sorrow, and ultimately death. This sounds horrible and uncharacteristic for purposeful use. On the other hand – a little food for thought – most times the goals that are truly valued in life are very difficult to obtain and maintain. For some people blood, sweat, and tears are ultimately worth little shreds of hope in achieving wonders they had never known. Isn’t this concept which The Lottery and Pandora’s Box are based, the pain and struggle one must endure for the mere gift of hoping they will achieve true joy or in some cases the hope of living? Hope is a merely defined in a merriam-webster dictionary as “to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true”. Deep inside all of us is hope. “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.
You wait and watch and work: You don 't give up.” (Anne Lamott) Pandora’s Box and The Lottery exemplify hope found in the dark. Even in the darkest of times, hope can be found. Many different cultures have used sacrifice as a means of appeasing their god/gods ultimately in the hope of a pleasing outcome. Some cultures seem to have lost their humanity through the process of tradition, sacrificing humans ritually. Over time, traditions can be confused and possibly intertwined. In due course the original meaning can be forgotten and lost through the generations. In the end ritual, tradition, and sacrifice are all for the hope of the greater good. Hope is powerful! It may have no rhyme or reason, but inside each individual is hope: hope for loved ones, hope for a better future, even hope against all
hopes. Work Cited
Anne , Lamott. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . New York: Pantheon Books, 1994. Print.
Gill, N. S.. N.p.. Web. 29 Sep 2013.
.
"Hope." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013. .
Parker-Pearson, D. M.. N.p.. Web. 29 Sep 2013. “Summer Solstice Traditions.” History.com Staff, Web. 29 Sept. 2013.