The Lottery By Shirley Jackson Analysis Essay
The analysis of the short story “The Lottery” In “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson brings readers to an old traditional rite in 1940s New England. Jackson is a famous writer and “The Lottery” is one of her most famous article which was published in 1948. Jackson narrates this story about people live in a small town gather together in order to take part in the lottery. It seems to be harmony and the scenery description at the beginning give audiences a feeling of relaxation: “[T]he flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green” (1). It shows how beautiful the day is, and it seems that people in the village are going to hold a grand pleasant activity. However, after reading through the story, every beautiful words Jackson writes sharply contrast with the cruel people and the evil event they hold every year. And everything
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does not look like what it suppose to be. One of the main character, Mrs. Hutchinson, shows how atrocious and superstitious the folks are and how indifferent the society is. Jackson describes many different characters and Tessie Hutchinson is one of the most typical one, also, she is the victim of the cruel rite. Consider her as the epitome of all of the people from the small town, we can see the personality of the people and that is exactly what Jackson want to expound to all of the readers. Tessie is the reflection of all the evil thought of folks and every motions of her show how the society makes her so pococurante. First of all, the reactions Tessie show toward to all the misfortune incident around her gives audiences great impact. The examples about this can be seen many times in this story. Obviously, Tessie has been taking part in this rite for many years and she knows when this cruel rite begins undoubtedly. Besides, she definitely understands that an unlucky person in her town will be killed by stones at the end of the lottery. However, she says “Clean forgot what day it was” (2), which shows that she does not really care about this rite. After she attend the square, Tessie chats with Mrs. Delacroix and “The both laughed softly” (2) at the square in the crowed. With the relaxation disperse in the communication, we can see that Mrs. Hutchinson does not consider this rite really important and she never thinks that she will become the “luckiest” one since she has been involved for several years. However, she is not the single case, people in the whole village who attend the lottery do not hold the idea that it is a cruel rite. Instead of that, villagers are used to see death comes upon on someone every year. Although it may happens to their friends, their family members. But nobody really cares about that. “[T]he men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed”(1). They just stand in the square, greet to each others, talk about something insignificant and wait till the end of lottery so that they can go back home do whatever they want to do. After the lottery, Tessie becomes the “Luckiest” one. It seems to be unexpected but reasonable. However, nobody in the village says anything to comfort her. Even her husband as well as her children does not say anything to her after she is chosen to be the victim of the traditional rite. Besides, Mr. Summers leads every folks to throw stones towards to Tessie and he says “‘All right, folks.’ Mr. Summers said. ‘ Let’s finish quickly’”(7) which manifests the mercilessness of him. Secondly, all the things Tessie do look as if she has the natural instinct of doing ferocious things urgently.
“Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square”, although she misses the beginning of the lottery, the word “hurriedly” shows her passion to attend the cruel rite(2). Also, all of the villagers want to join in this brutal slaughter in the name of “tradition”, most people believe in an old saying said by old man Warner: “‘ [l]ottery in June, corn be heavy soon’”(4). This saying is not only very concise but also rhyming. Thus we can easily know that it must be widely said in this small village for a long period of time. On another hand, the weakness of humanity is to sell others while people falls in a dangerous situation, especially when people faces to the death. The most typical example Jackson describes in the story is Tessie. She wants her two daughters to draw the cards but everybody knows that daughters draw with their family since they are married women. She does not deserve the title of good mother
anyway. The last but no the least, Tessie walks toward the square with pleasant emotion and she does not really care about someone’s fortune. June 27th seems just a normal day to her, a person sacrifices in the lottery and is not her. She never doubts the cruelty and fairness of the rite, however she does so at the end just because she becomes the one requires to die. She hopes someone else to take her place and she want to throw stones to others. On one hand, Tessie is the victim of the cruel rite, on the other hand, every folks suffer the losses. Everybody has the opportunity to become the sacrificial lamb, meanwhile, they want to kill others. In “The Lottery”, friends and family members can be enemies. A person needs to die because of the cruel humanity of other folks, and the stupid saying is just an excuse of it. Jackson does a really good job describing such a horrible rite. The inhumane and relentless atmosphere infects the whole village. It gives readers a strong creepy feelings until the end of the story. The village in “The Lottery” insinuate the society in a brilliant way and Tessie is the epitome of the humanities people have. According to the description of her bestial mind and the expressions of folks during the lottery, people can learn more about themselves and the society. It may causes why the story is so influential and meaningful to all of us.
does not look like what it suppose to be. One of the main character, Mrs. Hutchinson, shows how atrocious and superstitious the folks are and how indifferent the society is. Jackson describes many different characters and Tessie Hutchinson is one of the most typical one, also, she is the victim of the cruel rite. Consider her as the epitome of all of the people from the small town, we can see the personality of the people and that is exactly what Jackson want to expound to all of the readers. Tessie is the reflection of all the evil thought of folks and every motions of her show how the society makes her so pococurante. First of all, the reactions Tessie show toward to all the misfortune incident around her gives audiences great impact. The examples about this can be seen many times in this story. Obviously, Tessie has been taking part in this rite for many years and she knows when this cruel rite begins undoubtedly. Besides, she definitely understands that an unlucky person in her town will be killed by stones at the end of the lottery. However, she says “Clean forgot what day it was” (2), which shows that she does not really care about this rite. After she attend the square, Tessie chats with Mrs. Delacroix and “The both laughed softly” (2) at the square in the crowed. With the relaxation disperse in the communication, we can see that Mrs. Hutchinson does not consider this rite really important and she never thinks that she will become the “luckiest” one since she has been involved for several years. However, she is not the single case, people in the whole village who attend the lottery do not hold the idea that it is a cruel rite. Instead of that, villagers are used to see death comes upon on someone every year. Although it may happens to their friends, their family members. But nobody really cares about that. “[T]he men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed”(1). They just stand in the square, greet to each others, talk about something insignificant and wait till the end of lottery so that they can go back home do whatever they want to do. After the lottery, Tessie becomes the “Luckiest” one. It seems to be unexpected but reasonable. However, nobody in the village says anything to comfort her. Even her husband as well as her children does not say anything to her after she is chosen to be the victim of the traditional rite. Besides, Mr. Summers leads every folks to throw stones towards to Tessie and he says “‘All right, folks.’ Mr. Summers said. ‘ Let’s finish quickly’”(7) which manifests the mercilessness of him. Secondly, all the things Tessie do look as if she has the natural instinct of doing ferocious things urgently.
“Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square”, although she misses the beginning of the lottery, the word “hurriedly” shows her passion to attend the cruel rite(2). Also, all of the villagers want to join in this brutal slaughter in the name of “tradition”, most people believe in an old saying said by old man Warner: “‘ [l]ottery in June, corn be heavy soon’”(4). This saying is not only very concise but also rhyming. Thus we can easily know that it must be widely said in this small village for a long period of time. On another hand, the weakness of humanity is to sell others while people falls in a dangerous situation, especially when people faces to the death. The most typical example Jackson describes in the story is Tessie. She wants her two daughters to draw the cards but everybody knows that daughters draw with their family since they are married women. She does not deserve the title of good mother
anyway. The last but no the least, Tessie walks toward the square with pleasant emotion and she does not really care about someone’s fortune. June 27th seems just a normal day to her, a person sacrifices in the lottery and is not her. She never doubts the cruelty and fairness of the rite, however she does so at the end just because she becomes the one requires to die. She hopes someone else to take her place and she want to throw stones to others. On one hand, Tessie is the victim of the cruel rite, on the other hand, every folks suffer the losses. Everybody has the opportunity to become the sacrificial lamb, meanwhile, they want to kill others. In “The Lottery”, friends and family members can be enemies. A person needs to die because of the cruel humanity of other folks, and the stupid saying is just an excuse of it. Jackson does a really good job describing such a horrible rite. The inhumane and relentless atmosphere infects the whole village. It gives readers a strong creepy feelings until the end of the story. The village in “The Lottery” insinuate the society in a brilliant way and Tessie is the epitome of the humanities people have. According to the description of her bestial mind and the expressions of folks during the lottery, people can learn more about themselves and the society. It may causes why the story is so influential and meaningful to all of us.