Essay on Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery

Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Shirley Jackson?s insights and observations about society are reflected in her shocking and disturbing short story The Lottery. Jackson reveals two general attitudes in this story: first is the shocking tendency for societies to select a scapegoat and second is the idea that communities are victims of social tradition and rituals. Anyone with knowledge of current events must be aware of times when society has seized upon a scapegoat as means of resolution. Countless politicians, military leaders, corporate executives and school administrators frequently use this proven technique. The people of the small village were very similar to the leaders of our society. The village people†¦show more content†¦The villagers are aware of her rebellious attitude and they are weary that she may be a possible cause for their crops not to be plentiful. It isn?t fair, it isn?t right, Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her. One can understand how traditions are easily lost through the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another. Traditions that lose their meaning due to human forgetfulness can cause dreadful consequences to occur. Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original box, they still remembered to use stones to kill the forgetful woman. Does a society just pick and choose which part of a tradition they want to keep? One tends to remember the actions and the objects necessary to proceed with a ritual, but one may forget the purpose or the reason behind it. Is one correct in continuing a tradition even though there is a victim involved? The individual, as part of a society, is afraid of ridicule. If one ends a tradition, and society still behaves in the manner they were taught, then ridicule will be the result. The people had done it so many times that they only half listened to the directions, shows that the meaning and purpose behind the ritual had been lost and the society just acting it out through repetition. The villagers, who remember some bits of history about those forgotten aspects of the ritual, ARE NOT even definite about the accuracy ofShow MoreRelatedThe Theme Of Tradition In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1638 Words   |  7 PagesDEATH BY TRADITION Henry James once said, â€Å"It takes an endless amount of history to make a little tradition.† In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson deals with the insignificant nature of humanity when it comes to traditions. Today when one thinks about winning, one does not think about the community or close relatives; one thinks about how one is going to spend the money received. However, in Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery† represents a human sacrifice by means of stoning withRead MoreEssay Tradition or Cruelty in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1147 Words   |  5 Pageshave many traditions. These traditions all have certain meanings behind them; however, many of those meanings tend to be lost or forgotten. The holiday of Thanksgiving was originally a celebration to commemorate the arrival of the pilgrims in the new world and their first interactions with the Native Americans. So then why is it still celebrated today? There is no actual purpose in today’s society to observe this custom.   It has just continued to be observed because of past traditions.   There isRead MoreTradition or Cruelty in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay2237 Words   |  9 PagesTradition or Cruelty in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Shirley Jacksons The Lottery satirizes barbaric traditions in a supposedly civilized village. As the story begins, the villagers appear to be fairly civilized and carry on fairly modern lifestyles. This is assumed by the mens discussion of planting, rain, tractors, and taxes. The lottery was outdated to such a degree that some may think that the tradition is primal competition of anthropoid beasts. On the other hand, some think that carryingRead More Religious Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesReligious Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While The Lottery is a fictitious story it can be argued that it mirrors the attitude of American culture in how it addresses religious tradition in its major holidays and celebrations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two of the biggest holidays in the United States are Christmas and Easter. Both of which are derived from Christian beliefs. Even though The Lottery is apparently a pagan ritual, violent and horrific, it is appropriate, only by the fact thatRead MoreEssay on Ritual and Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery580 Words   |  3 Pagesmistaken, the consequence could be unpredictable. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson gives us a lecture about a tortuous ritual. The story takes place in a small village with 300 citizens, they gather for a yearly lottery which everyone should participate. The story leads to a horrific ending by people forgetting the concept of ritual. When people think of a lottery, they draw an image with a big amount of money in head. However in the story â€Å"The Lottery†, the price is death. It starts in the morning ofRead More Tradition in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily and Shirley Jacksons The Lottery656 Words   |  3 PagesTradition in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily and Shirley Jacksons The Lottery People throughout the world do things for many different reasons. Religion, peer pressure, or tradition are some of the reasons the people do things. In the U.S. we have many traditions such as Christmas. Some people have strange or out of the ordinary traditions. The two short stories ?The Lottery? and ?A Rose for Emily? both portray tradition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In ?The Lottery?, tradition is showed in three main waysRead MoreTradition in Roberto Benigni’s Life is Beautiful and Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1027 Words   |  5 Pages We all have traditions in our lives, but most of them vary between us. Where we are the same is that we have a genetic history of traditions. So what defines a tradition? A way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, culture, etc., for a long time. An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior. Also a belief or story or a relating to the past that are commonly accepted. ThisRead MoreUse of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson1146 Words   |  5 Pagesbulb represents ideas that just sparked into a character’s head. In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, a village has just entered the month of June, meaning that the lottery is to begin. When everyone was present, the heads of the households’ names were called one by one to pick up a slip of paper. It was then discovered that the Hutchinson family was the chosen family to participate in the lottery again. When Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Hutchinson, Bill Jr., Nancy, and Little Dave each gotRead MoreCatholicism Exposed in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1303 Words   |  6 PagesTraditions are something that are passed from generation to generation. Tradition becomes a part of who we are as a scociety. Shirley Jackson mocks society’s way of blindly following certain traditions. Characteristics of Jackson’s story create a parallel with Catholicism, by harping on our fear of change but our ability to manipulate what we want from our traditions and the basis of Catholicism’s belief of the innocen ce in children. Shirley Jacksons short story The Lottery has created a clearRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lottery† is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s approach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in which random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easily