Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” is a chilling examination of the most alarming aspects of human society, where seemingly innocent traditions disguise violent and unjust nuances. “The Lottery,” goes beyond its seemingly rural small-town setting to reveal important truths about the danger of conformity and random violence, the cruelty of injustice, and its similarities to the mechanisms of scapegoating and brutality witnessed during the Holocaust and the Cold War. Analyzing Jackson’s story’s many levels of symbolism reveals that it is both a precise critique of societal practices and a compelling account of the threat of corrupt authority. “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, notably portrays the cunning nature of injustices perpetrated by …show more content…
People were heavily influenced to conform through public humiliation of those who sympathized with Jewish people, wanting to feel as though they have somewhere to belong, and a fear that they will be ostracized from society. This led to many turning either a blind eye to the horrors of the Holocaust or led some to actively participate in it. Similar to conformity, scapegoating is another danger within society that Shirley Jackson brings to light. In “The Lottery,” Jackson symbolizes scapegoating through the selection of a single townsperson as the sacrificial victim to bear the consequences of the violent ritual. One specific example takes place when Tessie Hutcherson is chosen as the “winner” of the lottery. Despite the arbitrary nature of the random selection process, the townspeople abruptly turn against Tessie, revealing the stealthy and harmful nature of scapegoating. The abrupt change in perception of Tessie emphasizes how readily people can be demonized and shunned based on arbitrary standards, mirroring the scapegoating dynamics seen in historical instances of persecution and