The Lottery Tradition Analysis

In the village, and the world at large, in “The Lottery” there is a yearly practice of human sacrifice to assure good crop. The feeling that occur to the fictional people in this story must be very conflicted or dulled to the point where there is no longer feeling. Jackson’s only source of background is conversation between the characters. The narrator does not offer any background at all. Through the story we see that this lottery is a yearly event. One might say, that it is tradition since it has been around since before Old Man Warner’s time. To summarize the occurances in this ritual or tradition it begins with the gathering of all the villagers. With exception to those who cannot attend, though they must have someone draw for them “Mr.

Summers said. ‘Don 't you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey?’” (265). There must always be representation and it must be the man of the house who draws, unless they are unable. The men draw first and hold their slip of paper, though in the past chips of woods would have been used per tradition. The man who hold the slip with a black dot will then have his whole family draw, once again the family member who get the black slip is the “chosen one”. This person meets a very unpleasant fate, as they are stoned to death by the community and their own family. Once again, all for the purpose have having a healthy crop yield. That about summarizes the ritual, what will continue will be a count of my own experiences and reactions if I were a part of this lottery. At the start of the day, I’d be very scared. Most likely at my age, I would have already been married and away from my immediate family. Heading to the sight of where this ritual, this lottery, occurs would feel very unreal every single time. The uneasiness that had settled in the air would be lifted by light gossiping by the women “The woman, wearing faded house dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their menfolk. They greeted one

What happens in this village, is dark and twisted. A coping mechanism would be necessary for those who have not completely lost their humanity. Like the other women, I would be satisfied when it is not my family who is chosen “‘Be a good sport, Tessie,’ Mrs. Delacroix called, and Mrs. Graves said, ‘All of us took the same chance.’” (267). It is apparent that these women were clearly satisfied and just trying to support for appearance. They were happy that it was not them, and that they could live in peace for another year. For that is why everyone hopes, even members of the chosen family are happy that they are not chosen “Nancy and Bill, Jr., opened theirs at the same time, and both beamed and laughed, turning around to the crowd and holding their slips of paper above their heads.” (268). These children are part of a family that will have to lose a member. Yet, they are laughing. In the atmosphere created by this tradition, being alive, being lucky enough to be alive, even if those you love must die, you are relieved and happy. These were children of Tessie, the woman who met the unfortunate fate of dying to this lottery. This village and likely all others like it have become separated, a survival of fittest almost. Those who die, must die, and those of the village ust deal with it. My character tried to keep her humanity but already,