The Lottery Society

Written by Shirley Jackson, the short story “The Lottery” focuses on a village with a tradition that provides fate by random chance. However, in this particular allegory Jackson uses the title to elude the readers mind from the ending to come. Throughout the entire story Jackson uses themes that greatly parallel with American society such as, family, fiscal and social class, and religion. For example, Jackson demonstrates family hierarchy comparable to American culture when she writes, “Soon the women, standing by their husbands, began to call to their children, and the children came reluctantly, having to be called four or five times” (Jackson 133). Similar to American culture these families stand on traditions, in this case “the lottery”.
They followed the tradition religiously! So much so that when “Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box.” (Jackson 133). “The lottery” was what the village stood on. “The Lottery” brings them together as a village and family units. However, the tradition that brings them together, is also the very one that separates them. Similarly, religion and money in America has the ability to bring harmony, but also cause chaos. One of the glaring themes in this allegory is the family in society. For instance, like American society they would have a censes. “There were lists to make up-of heads of families, heads of household in each family, members of each household in each family” (Jackson 134). This “list” for the lottery relates to how our society breaks families down from top to bottom and the gender rolls they play.
“Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together way from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed. The women wearing faded house dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their menfolk, they greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip as they went to join their husbands” (Jackson 133).
Jackson uses this theme in the story to almost parallel with American society and the way “traditional” families in our society are viewed and operated. This represents anonymity in American society. Instead of being viewed as individuals, people are viewed with certain labels that society has put on them. For instance, when Mr. Summers says, “Wife draws for her husband.” (Jackson 135) and then asks, “Don’t you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey?” (Jackson 135). This portrays how not only are their labels being placed, but also suggesting that it should be the man doing the drawing. This is a great example of the downfall in 1948 American culture Jackson was surrounded by. The idea of class in American society presents it self in a subtler way than some of the other themes.
In the traditional American society, class tends to be separated by the assets someone possesses. However, in this society class is represented by the drawing of the lottery. One of the ways Jackson depicts this is when she writes that, “Mr. Summers had been successful in having slips of paper substituted for the chips of wood that had been used for generations.” (Jackson 133). The conversion of wood chips to paper slips represents the conversion of gold or silver to paper money. However, while money determines how well off someone may be in American Culture, the slips of paper determine how unfortunate someone may be in this village. Jackson demonstrates this when she
writes,
“Suddenly, Tessie Hutchinson shouted to Mr. Summers, “You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair!” “Be a good sport, Tessie,” Mrs. Delacroix called, and Mrs. Graves said, “All of us took the same chance.” (Jackson 137)
Sometimes someone’s class isn’t always by choice or how hard someone works, but by chance. In American there are a plethora of beliefs and traditions that are followed. Similarly, this village is determined to stand on their tradition and/or beliefs. The reader could infer that the village almost has a “religious” dedication “the lottery”. In various religions there are various forms of religious trinities. "Mr. Graves, followed him carrying a three-legged stool, and the stool was put in the center of the square and Mr. Summers set the black box on it. The villagers kept their distance, leaving room between them and the black box." (Jackson 133). Jackson uses the three legged stool to represent a holy trinity that was literally and figuratively supporting this tradition. That is why the villagers kept they’re distance, almost as if there was a divine reverence or fear. Ultimately Jackson portrays a fallen society that greatly relates to American culture.
A society where family was important, but the execution from society as a whole was sub-par. For instance, the equality of women to men and the general anonymity we face in our society. Similarly, the villagers in the story faced the same issues. These families also face struggles with general well being as we do in our lives. Jacksons use of “the lottery” with the slips of paper helped relate this theme to the reader by eluding to American society’s fiscal classification. Aside from all that though, every family and community has a steadfast set of beliefs. This community believed in what “The Lottery” stood for, just as American culture believes in other various religions. However, Jackson eventually shows how a belief can shape a society negatively, whether religious or not. Shirley Jackson wrote this back in 1948. In that period of time the men were held up as the top of the ladder. Your fiscal class was almost randomly determined by whether or not your family suffered the great depression previously. And finally, the downfall of religious conformity and use of religion as a scapegoat in
society