Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Symbolism in “The Lottery”
What is a symbol? A symbol is defined as person, place, or thing that suggests more than a literal meaning. In “The Lottery” there are 2 main symbols that really come to the reader’s attention. “The Lottery” is a short story written by Shirley Jackson. The story occurs on the morning of June 27th. It was a clear and sunny day in a village of about 300 people. All of the villagers began to gather into the town square to participate in a lottery run by Mr. Summers, who officiates at all the big civic events. When the children first arrive they begin to collect stones until their parents call them to order. Just as Mr. Summers begins to assemble the villagers Mrs. Hutchinson, the wife of Bill Hutchinson, arrives.
Mr. Summers then starts to call the head of each household to the black wooden box to retrieve a slip of paper.
The black wooden box is defiantly a major symbol in this story.
Not only is it part of the lottery’s tradition but it also represents the illogic of the villagers’ loyalty to the box. “The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black wooden box now resting on the stool had been put to use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born. Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much as tradition as was represented by the black box.” (Page 259) The people believed that some of the pieces from the original lottery box may have been used to create the new box, but no one knows for certain. This may have been why the tradition of the lottery had been changed or forgotten over the years. “Because so much of the ritual had been forgotten or discarded, Mr. Summers had been successful in having slips of paper substituted for the chips of wood that had been used for generations. Chips of wood Mr. Summers had argued, had been all very well when the village was tiny, but now that the population was more than three hundred and likely to keep growing, it necessary to use something that would fit more easily into the black box.” (Page
260)
Once everyone has chosen a slip of paper, Mr. Summers allows everyone to open the paper to see what is on it. Everyone is relieved to see that they have a blank slip of paper except Bill Hutchinson. His paper contains a black dot. Mrs. Hutchinson begins to immediately protest. There are five people in the Hutchinson family. Each member of the family now has to randomly select a new piece of paper from the black box. Once again everyone must keep their paper closed until Mr. Summers gives instruction to open it. When Mr. Summers does give orders to open the slips of paper we find out that Mrs. Hutchison has the piece of paper with the black dot. Mrs. Hutchinson begins to protest again, but this time it does her no good. Everyone in the village including her husband and kids walk to the pile of stones and begin to throw them at her.
The lottery is the other major symbol that appeals to the reader’s attention.
The lottery is important because it represents any action, behavior, or ideas that might be passed down from generation to generation. No matter how cruel, illogical, or bizarre it will always be accepted and followed by the younger generation unquestionably. The lottery is tradition, it is an annual ritual that no one has ever thought to question. “It is so much a part of the town culture, in fact, that it is even accompanied by an old adage: “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.” “(SparkNotes Editors) The villagers are completely loyal to the lottery, or, at least that is what they have convinced themselves to believe that. Even though the traditions of the lottery have changed or forgotten, the villagers continue to have a lottery, despite the fact that most of the other towns have stopped. “The result of this tradition is that everyone becomes party to murder on an annual basis. The lottery is an extreme example of what can happen when traditions are not questioned or addressed critically by new generations.” (SparkNotes
Editors)