Traditions In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

The numbers etched in a golden font which read "50,000,000" as I scratched the aluminum colored boxes. Achieving two matching symbols, I fumble to scratch at the remaining box in anticipation. While scratching at the remaining aluminum colored facade, I see a symbol that looks relatively close to the first two. I scratched off the remaining part and greeted a different symbol?! In "The Lottery" Shirley Jackson adds a spin to the lottery and parades tradition in a different light. Whether if it's in "The Lottery" or foreign countries, traditions are different and Shirley Jackson advocates to beware when following traditions blindly because of the possibility of negative consequences.

First, In Italy most traditions or customs have changed for

In Italy, politicians make appeals for loyalty to the nation based on loyalty to the family and stressing ties to the "fatherland". The national anthem is generally something to be played at sporting events with teams from other countries. The flag has a meaning for most citizens but does not have passion. The strongest ties are to one's family (“Italy”). The national symbols are the king and images associated with Buddhism in Thailand. The monarch serves as the most important symbol of national identity and unity. The king appears often everywhere in public and plastered in media and television. Showing disrespect for the king is illegal. The Buddha and shrines are found in public buildings and homes as well as temples. Majority of the people are Buddhist and the monarch must be a Buddhist. (“Thailand”). Shirley Jackson used the box in "The Lottery" as the stability of the tradition and the pebbles have a significant role in the tradition also. The box is equivalent to the tradition that has been around since the oldest man in the village. There was a rumor that the present box was made with some pieces of the original box, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down. Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but nothing was

In Italy New Year is known as ‘January Kalends' In Italy, the preparations start with decoration of the house and office. Then Italian people wear new clothes and exchange gifts during these days. Gifts have an abundance of meaning in this tradition and People are extra careful when picking a gift. Another part of this tradition is that many people often wear red under clothes. It is meant to welcome the new beginning by ringing in ‘La Fiesta di San Silvestro' which means – New Year's Eve in Italy (Zimmermann). The Thai New Years is called Songkran and it's celebrated on April 13 to April 5 on the hottest time of the year. Traditions are vital to Thai New Year such as throwing water on another which is believed to bring good rain all year long. This is called Rohd Nam Songkran, meaning 'The Pouring of Songkran Water'. On April 12 before the New Year, Thai people clean the houses and dress up in new attire to welcome the New Year. Wan Payawan is celebrated on April 14, on this day Buddhist statues are washed with scented water and then head to temples or shrines to pray or give offerings. Wan Parg - bpee is the last day and on this day the Thai people for pay respect to the ancestors and elders. It is mandatory to throw water on another to get rid of bad deeds to complete this tradition (“New Year In Thailand”). However different from these countries