The Symbolism of an Unchanging Society A symbol, in literary works, is defined as a person, place, or thing that suggests meaning beyond its literal sense. Shirley Jackson uses many symbols in her short story, “The Lottery,” to represent the stubbornness of the society we live in. The seemingly harmless symbols she uses, darken the plot as you read. The story as a whole represents the controlling influence society has on individuals. At the beginning, it seems like a normal story in a comforting town that is very similar to a setting most readers are familiar with. The men all gather quietly gather and partake in small talk with one another while nervously watching the children gather stones (Jackson 254). It shows that although they are uncomfortable with the situation, they are too scared to stand up and do something about it because the community around them will shame them for wanting change. When word of other towns getting rid of the lottery comes up, Old Man Warner exclaims how that brings nothing but trouble for them (Jackson 257). …show more content…
Summers sets down the black box, the uneasy townspeople kept their distance. He prompts for someone to assist him and there is a moment of resistance before Mr. Martin and his oldest don step forward to help (Jackson 255). The black color of the shabby box and the dot on the paper represent the evil that surrounds the activity of the lottery as a whole. The slips of paper are written up the night before the lottery and then locked away in a safe while it is just discarded in random places, such as a barn, the rest of the year (Jackson 255). The people associate the black of both items with death and it causes the tension around the