"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson begins innocently enough with a village preparing for an annual event, but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that the seemingly harmless tradition is anything but, forcing readers to confront the dangers of blindly following tradition.
Jackson employs rhetorical techniques that highlight the importance of avoiding conformity, as it will lead to dire consequences. Shirley Jackson's story is a powerful example of the use of symbolism, vivid imagery, and irony to illuminate the danger and violence of blindly following traditions, as the seemingly innocent annual lottery in a small town ultimately reveals the brutal consequences of conformity and the human capacity for violence.
Throughout the story Jackson
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By painting a disturbing picture of the violent act of stoning, Jackson draws attention to the harmful consequences of blindly following a tradition. Jackson writes "Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground with the blowing scraps of paper that had come out of the box" (paragraph 73). The community has lost sight of the original purpose of the tradition, yet still continue to carry it out with such brutality, highlights the dangers of thoughtlessly continuing traditions. The boys, who have already prepared their rock piles, symbolize the community's unthinking adherence to the tradition, without questioning its morality or relevance. The children do not question the morality of their participation in a violent act, nor do they consider the possibility of breaking away from tradition. This is a stark example of the dangers of blindly following traditions, as the community's tradition of the lottery has become so ingrained that even children are expected to participate in the violence without hesitation. This reinforces the theme of the dangers of rigidly conforming to traditions, as the community is trapped in the compulsion to complete the tradition, even though it has lost its original meaning. The phrase "still remembered" also emphasizes the idea of being constrained by the tradition, and the urge of the community to complete the tradition under and