Essay Database

Winning the lottery takes on a whole new meaning in the short story, “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson. It is told in third person and in an objective manner. The title itself indicates something positive when in fact the story is quite the opposite. The story reveals how a small town and its people cling blindly to a tradition no matter how senseless and evil it is. The setting of the story is in the …

…is for winning the lottery. This is revealed near the end of the story: “Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original box they still remember to use stones.” The conflict does reveal the one character’s character in this story and conveys its central idea. The “uncivilized” nature of the ritual is clarified by the irony. As long as Tessie was detached, the lottery was acceptable, but humanity asks for empathy.