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The Lottery: Symbolism Essay submitted by In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
uses symbolism to make us aware of the pointless nature of humanity regarding
tradition and violence. The story starts off on a beautiful summer day in a
small town. The author describes the day as very euphoric but strikes a contrast
between the atmosphere of the town and the atmosphere of the people gathered in
the square. The atmosphere is subdued, where the children are gathered around
quietly. The black box is the central theme or idea in the story. It symbolizes
at first some type of mystery, but as we read the ending we realize that it is
synonymous with doom. Someone's fate lies in an inanimate object, the black box.
We do not always enjoy change, even if it might prove beneficial to us. The box
is symbolic of our loathing of change; it is old and splintered showing that we
cling to what is familiar rather than change and it also symbolizes the
traditions of the community. No one in the little town questions the origin of
the black box, but accept it as an intrical part of their lives.
The lottery
itself is symbolic of the paradox of the human psyche between compassion on one
hand and the thirst for violence and cruelty on the other. An example of this is
when the children are enjoying a break from school, playing and being children,
and suddenly they are being joined by rational adults in stoning a mother to
death. It appears that tradition has blinded these people in an irrational way,
making them unable to think of a reason why this possibly should not be
happening. When forced with the possibility of death, human nature in all its
complexity, comes down to one instinctive urge, that of survival. When Tessie
was in no danger she was gossiping with the other ladies and even encouraged her
husband to go and pick a piece of paper. When Tessie wins the lottery; she
pleads for another chance and screams for mercy. She demands that her daughters
take their chances as well, which is indicative of regression toward our basic
instinct of survival. The pieces of paper that are lifted away by the breeze is
not only symbolic of the ease with which life can be taken but is also symbolic
of vast civilizations that were doomed to eventual failure for believing in and
acting on tradition and not living according to the word of God. We see that
even as Tessie is being stoned to death does she not question the reasoning
behind the lottery, but why it should be her that has to die.
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