The Power of Tradition Since the start of mankind, individuals have done activities a certain way, and this has been passed down to their children and grandchildren This is what is known today as tradition. All over the world every single origin of people has different traditions and have had them since they have been born. These traditions can be a unique variety of different events and beliefs that they have been taught how and when to participate in them. Some of these traditions can be great experiences such as going to church weekly or eating with family, but some are not as pleasant as others. Even though some traditions may be considered a negative situation, people still participate in them because it is a certain activity …show more content…
In this story, Jackson states, “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). This shows that the people of the town will not even change as much as a box that the slips of paper are in because they do not want to chance bringing further bad luck to the yearly tradition. The authors at americanliterature.com in the analysis “The Lottery,” ask “Would you voluntary participate in an annual lottery like this? Yet Farrar 2 the people come every year. Why?” (“The Lottery”). This question shows that even though this tradition is seen as a negative life altering event, the community of people still participates because it is what they have always done and will not change it. This tradition has always been a part of this community’s life; therefore, it will not change because the power of tradition has taken over their lives. Because the people of this town have followed the same pattern of tradition since …show more content…
This shows the whole town that the man is the head of this household and is the superior member of the entire family. In Gayle Whittier’s “’The Lottery’ as a Misogynist Parable.” she states, “Men conduct it; head of household typically male, selects the first ballot... Men have choice; women choose only when they are already at risk in the lottery pattern. Furthermore, marriage, the patriarchal purchase and renaming of women, preempts blood, so that any married daughter draws her lot within her husband’s clan” (Whittier). In saying this, Whittier portrays that the man is number one in the family’s life. Also, if a man has a daughter who is married, she no longer is under his superiority, but she is a part of her husband’s household now. The men or the head of this household has complete control over each member of his family. Shirley Jackson uses a small town which only has about three hundred residents to show how the power of tradition can completely take over individuals lives because it has been established for a very long time. This particular tradition is an awful thing to participate in, but the residents of this town do not really think about what they are actually doing. All across