“The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson

Tradition“Lottery in June, corn be heavy

soon” (528-529).◦The stoning was a sacrifice made for

good crops◦Sacrifice goes back to ancient times

(Aztecs, Incas, Mayans) Blood is vital to human life, a life-giving

source◦Stoning goes back to Biblical times

TraditionThe villagers get rid of parts of

the tradition they feel are pointless◦The chant & the salute◦They keep the savage ritual of

sacrificeThe author is pointing out how

resistant people are to change (esp. the older generation – Old Man Warner)

Plot ElementsExciting force◦The growing season

Plot ElementsClimax◦Tessie draws the black dot

Plot ElementsResolution

◦“‘It isn’t fair,’ . . . and then they were upon her” (531)

◦Tessie gets stoned

ConflictsMan vs. man

◦Tessie vs. the villagersMan vs. self

◦Tessie vs. feelings of injustice

Man vs. society ◦Tessie vs. outdated tradition of stoning

CharactersMr. Summers

◦In charge of the lottery. Wants to get done in time for lunch & to go back to work

◦Lottery is a fact of life like any other part of the day

Old Man Warner ◦Been through the lottery 77 times & doesn’t want to change it

◦Represents stubborn older generation

CharactersClyde Dunbar

◦Broken leg, but family draws anyhow

◦Everyone must participateMrs. Delacroix

◦Chooses the largest stone ◦Friendship ties don’t matter

CharactersLil’ Davy

◦ The youngest Hutchinson Even little children could be sacrificed

◦ Given tiny pebbles to stone his mother Everyone participates so there is no guilt

Tessie Hutchinson ◦ Shows up late & jokes around until her family

draws the black dot Fairness only matters to the victim

◦ Wants her daughter to be part of the draw Willing to risk her own daughter’s life to

save herself

Theme Man’s inhumanity to man

◦The cruelty humans are capable of, the awful things people do to others

◦The villagers stone Tessie for the crops

◦Tessie puts her own daughter at risk to save herself

◦No one was exempt (even Lil’ Davy could have been chosen & had to stone his own mother)

◦Mrs. Delacroix chooses the largest stone

Theme Fairness only matters to the

victim◦Tessie was happy, joking, and

participating until her name was drawn

◦It only became unfair when her name was chosen

ThemeReluctance of society to reject

outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices◦Old Man Warner said that giving up

the lottery would be like going back to living in caves

◦The villagers got rid of the chant & salute, but they kept the stoning

ThemeSociety wrongfully designates

scapegoats to bear sins of the community◦For a successful growing season,

Tessie was the unlucky one chosen to be sacrificed

◦Everyone participates so there is no guilt

SettingJune 27th, 10 AM, farming village

(no year, no town name)◦Could be anytime, any town because

man’s inhumanity to man happens any and everywhere

ForeshadowingBoys gathering stones at the

beginningThe box is blackTessie being late and making

jokesTessie saying it isn’t fair when

her family is selected and when she draws the dot

Dramatic ironyWhen the reader

knows something the character does not.

Don’t open the door!

Dramatic IronyGiving up the lottery would be

uncivilized (Old Man Warner)◦Nothing civil about a lottery where

the winner gets stonedGave up parts of the ritual

(salute, chant) but keep the inhumane part (stoning)

Situational IronyThere is a

contradiction between what the reader expects to happen and what really happens

Situational ironySunny day, people talking and

joking, ready to eat lunch◦About to stone someone

Lotteries are supposed to be good . . . win a prize◦The winner “wins” death

SymbolsThe black box◦Worn, splintered, fading

◦Represents outdated traditions

SymbolsThe black dot

◦Family member who draws it is stoned to death

◦Represents the scapegoat who bears the blame of society

SymbolsThe setting

◦Vague with no year, no town name

◦Represents how man’s inhumanity to man happens any time and anywhere