The Lottery: A Short Story
“How have I been so blind and participated in the Lottery all those
years?” I said to myself. “Now I know how it felt to be the family who got chosen to do the Lottery and sacrifice one of their family members for this tradition that no longer has a purpose.” Suddenly, this anger, frustration built up inside me made me yell, “You didn’t give him enough time to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair,” to Mr. Summers.
Mrs. Delacroix replied, “Be a good sport, Tessie.”
Bill Hutchinson said, “Shut up, Tessie.”
Mr. Summers said, “ Bill you drew for the Hutchinson Family, do you have any other household?”
I quickly responded, “ There are Don and Eva let them take their turn.”
Mr. Summers replied, “Daughters draw with their husband family. So now Bill …show more content…
how many kids in the family?”
“ Three,” Bill replied. “There's Bill Jr., Nancy, and Little Dave. And
Tessie and me.”
“Well then, let's get this over with,” said Mr. Summers. “Remember everybody takes a slip and keep it closed till I tell you to open it.”
First went Little Dave. Harry had to hold the slip of paper for Little Dave because he was too young, then went Nancy, then Bill Jr. went. It was my turn, but before I went I froze. I didn’t know whether to argue or
just go with it.
I made up my mind. I went. Finally, Bill went. I had the slip of
paper in my hands while I was waiting for Mr. Summers to tell us to open
the slip of paper, all these thoughts came to my mind. What will the family
be without me? Who will take care of little Dave? What if it’s little Dave he
still has a life ahead of him.
Finally, Mr. Summers said, “Open your slip of paper.”
Harry showed Dave’s paper to the crowd, It was blank. Nancy and Bill Jr. both opened their paper at the same time and showed it to the
crowd, they were both blank. Bill opened his slip of paper and showed it to
the crowd, it was blank. Finally, I opened my slip of paper. There was
the black dot in the middle of the slip of paper. Suddenly, I stood frozen,
shocked, motionless, and I asked myself, “Why, did it have to be me?
Why do I have to die for this tradition that has no longer a point for the
killing of an innocent person? Why?”
“It's Tessie,” Mr. Summers said, “Show us her paper, Bill.”
Bill went over to me and took the paper from my hand and showed it
to the crowd. “Alright folks,” Mr. Summers said. “Let’s finish this
quickly.”
years?” I said to myself. “Now I know how it felt to be the family who got chosen to do the Lottery and sacrifice one of their family members for this tradition that no longer has a purpose.” Suddenly, this anger, frustration built up inside me made me yell, “You didn’t give him enough time to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair,” to Mr. Summers.
Mrs. Delacroix replied, “Be a good sport, Tessie.”
Bill Hutchinson said, “Shut up, Tessie.”
Mr. Summers said, “ Bill you drew for the Hutchinson Family, do you have any other household?”
I quickly responded, “ There are Don and Eva let them take their turn.”
Mr. Summers replied, “Daughters draw with their husband family. So now Bill …show more content…
how many kids in the family?”
“ Three,” Bill replied. “There's Bill Jr., Nancy, and Little Dave. And
Tessie and me.”
“Well then, let's get this over with,” said Mr. Summers. “Remember everybody takes a slip and keep it closed till I tell you to open it.”
First went Little Dave. Harry had to hold the slip of paper for Little Dave because he was too young, then went Nancy, then Bill Jr. went. It was my turn, but before I went I froze. I didn’t know whether to argue or
just go with it.
I made up my mind. I went. Finally, Bill went. I had the slip of
paper in my hands while I was waiting for Mr. Summers to tell us to open
the slip of paper, all these thoughts came to my mind. What will the family
be without me? Who will take care of little Dave? What if it’s little Dave he
still has a life ahead of him.
Finally, Mr. Summers said, “Open your slip of paper.”
Harry showed Dave’s paper to the crowd, It was blank. Nancy and Bill Jr. both opened their paper at the same time and showed it to the
crowd, they were both blank. Bill opened his slip of paper and showed it to
the crowd, it was blank. Finally, I opened my slip of paper. There was
the black dot in the middle of the slip of paper. Suddenly, I stood frozen,
shocked, motionless, and I asked myself, “Why, did it have to be me?
Why do I have to die for this tradition that has no longer a point for the
killing of an innocent person? Why?”
“It's Tessie,” Mr. Summers said, “Show us her paper, Bill.”
Bill went over to me and took the paper from my hand and showed it
to the crowd. “Alright folks,” Mr. Summers said. “Let’s finish this
quickly.”