Social Rules And Expectations In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

There are many facets to human psychology, but one of the most intriguing is how the presence of others can influence behavior, creating expectations, roles, and norms. People are generally not expected to behave randomly but instead in different ways depending on the situation. Each social situation entails its own particular set of rules and expectations about the “proper” way to behave, and these expectations can vary from group to group. One way in which these expectations become apparent is when the roles that people play in society are examined. Social roles are the part people play as members of a social group. With each social role one adopts, their behavior changes to fit the expectations both they and others have of that role. Social

This order is reinforced by having a system of social norms, expectations, and roles in place. To a certain extent, these can allow for a balanced society that allows people to be themselves while maintaining order. Taken too far however, and these inflexible rules can cause people to act without thinking, as is evident in “The Lottery”. The villagers blindly follow tradition and kill Tessie because that is what they are expected to do. This is quite similar to how persecution happens in real life. Jackson may be suggesting that any such persecution, whether it is based off race, sex, gender, religion, etc is essentially random, and therefore senseless, as no one has any choice in those matters. This is why Tessie’s bizzare death can be applicable almost universally. Overly strict rules can also break a person like in “The Yellow Wallpaper”. Gilman writes in order to criticise gender roles of her time and its strict distinction between intellectually capable males and housewife females. Through John’s own assumption of his wife’s mental state and her eventual breakdown, the story shows that women have been kept back from their full development and in a state of infancy due to patriarchal oppression. While societal norms and expectations are necessary in order to maintain a functioning society, it is important for citizens to question themselves often and see what their true feelings are, rather than what the hivemind feels. It is this kind of thinking that leads to not only a functioning society, but one that is also progressive, free thinking, and individualistic. It is important to remember that everyone is their own person with their own rights, opinions, and feelings. It is especially important to remember this in today’s political climate, and perhaps the lessons taught by these stories may one day prove