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The Lottery Human Condition Analysis

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Dictionary describes the human condition as “the positive and negative aspects of existence as a human being, esp. the inevitable events such as birth, childhood, adolescence, love, sex, reproduction, aging, and death”. In the story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson there is a lack of human condition. Throughout the story the people seemed programmed to distract themselves from wrong, continue a tradition without question, and feel bad as soon as it happens to themselves. When the lottery takes place, the people of the town make an entire day out of it. When “the lottery was conducted- as were the square dances, the teen club, [and] the Halloween club”. (Jackson 17) The towns people lack a sense of what is right and wrong. They believe that this event happens all the time and it is not a big deal and therefore while they wait they should have a source of entertainment. The human condition calls for a moral code, or at least something for people to live by. Everyone in the town has been raised to believe the lottery is system where a person gets what they deserve and that is what they live by. To make the day a better day, the people have fun and dance because they don't know if that will be their last day. Since this town has been doing the lottery for over 77 years no one asks …show more content…

They think the lottery is a rigged program that shouldn't exist just because they have to die now. Before they were picked they saw the lottery as a just system that makes the person pay their dues to the town. When Mrs. Hutchinson was picked she yelled “It isn't fair, it isn't right”. (23) When the chosen person is about to lose their life they feel sad and fear. But before being chosen they a compassionless. In the human condition there is a sense of love and friendship needed in order to be human. Mrs. Hutchinson’s husband didn't feel any sort of sorrow before stoning his wife to

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"The Lottery" shows this by showing how people follow traditions without thinking about the consequences or leaving the tradition in the past and when one leaves the tradition they are viewed as a "pack of young fools" (Jackson, 32). Jackson is critiquing society and how they do not like to think for themselves till it is too late. Tessie Hutchinson did not question the lottery till it was involved in her family's life and then her life, then it was too late to think for herself. " Harrison Bergeron" depicts this in a different way, by showing what the world would be like if society did not question the government. Everyone is like everyone else, and when a person is not, the government gives them handicaps so they are not different, this causes them unable to think for themselves or take "unfair advantage to their brains" (Vonnegut, 3).

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The lottery happens once a year, and consist of everyone in the village. The archaic lottery had been around since the village was first establish. The villagers never knew a time when the lottery was not around. The kids were the first to show up “… Selecting the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson). They were accustomed to the routine they had been taught.

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Inhumanity in The Lottery and in life The short story, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, is about a village that takes part in this annual ritual called the lottery, but instead of the usual winning and receiving a heaping of money, you get pelted with stones until you are no longer breathing. Harsh right? There is actually a harsh reality to this story. It is shown in The Lottery that society and humans are very inhumane at times and that they will follow along side others in traditions with out a sight to what is actually going on.

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The short story “The Lottery” is written by Shirley Jackson. This story takes place in a small village where everybody knows each other. In this story all the villagers gather around town for their annual lottery. Everyone in the village is compelled to follow this tradition even if the outcome ends up with someone dying. In “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson uses conflict, theme, and irony to develop this suspenseful short story.

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There seems to be a connection to cruelty and beauty in some degree. The two compliment, create, and destroy one another. Without cruelty and suffering, there could not be a beautiful and admirable existence. Shirley Jackson, author of “The Lottery”, suffered from mental illnesses called agoraphobia and depression (Heller, 2012). In spite of her struggles with these incurable diseases, Jackson channeled her dark thoughts into her writing; one out of 75 short stories, “The Lottery” was published in 1948 (Jackson, 1948).

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It was almost a way of life and if it was not followed there were dire consequences. The story starts to become ironic when specified what the lottery really means to them. A lottery, in any other community, is seen as a chance to win rewards that are in your favor. Within this town, it’s a chance to murder a single person every year. The main idea Jackson make in “The Lottery” is that people can come to together to perform this terrible act and then completely forget about.

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Literary Elements used in The Lottery By definition the word lottery means a process or thing whose success or outcome is measured by chance (“lottery”). To most people winning the lottery would conjure up excitement and overall good feelings. However, in the short story The Lottery written by Shirley Jackson, the lottery has a twisted and horrific meaning.

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