Essay on Symbolism and Characterization in Jackson’s The...

Traditions are passed on, from previous generations in Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery†. Traditions, which have been lost in time, but seemingly enough the stones have not been discarded. Set on a village in a warm summer day, the story begins with several boys gathering stones for the lottery. The rest of the villagers gather in the square. The fate of the villagers is determined by a slip of paper chosen from the black box. Symbolism and characterization, from the beginning to the end, work together to reveal the story’s theme: that people blindly follow tradition even if it leads to their own destruction. In the beginning, the villagers clearly show how the black box is an important symbol that has a†¦show more content†¦However, Mr. Summers an official of the lottery, â€Å"spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box† (410). The thought of changing the black box could symbolize the idea of doing away with the lottery. Granted the villagers may dread what the black box represents, tradition has a more powerful embrace on them. Gradually, as Mr. Summer prepares for the lottery, the rest of the villagers arrive. Mr. Adam attempts to speak of the other villages quitting the lotteries, but Old Man Warner quickly replies , â€Å"Pack of young fools† (413). Here Old Man Warner himself, comes to show the symbolism in his name. The young fools who have not experienced seventy seven years of tradition in the lottery. As if they are oblivious to the goodness of tradition. Meanwhile, the villagers begin to pick names out of the black box. The villagers become anxious, and a woman begins to shout, â€Å"Who is it?† Who’s got it?†(413). Knowing she did not win, it is now safe to proceed. Half way through the lottery, the villagers lack to doubt tradition. They are more concerned with getting done on time. In the end, there is only Tessie and her Husband, Bill Hutchinson remaining. Bill unravels the slip of paper and it is blank. The villagers began to shout, â€Å"It’s Tessie†(414). Here Tessie is announced the winner of the lottery. Tessie isShow MoreRelatedExpect the Unexpected1898 Words   |  8 PagesExpect the Unexpected What thoughts come to mind when you think of â€Å"The Lottery?† Positive thoughts including money, a new home, excitement, and happiness are all associated with the lottery in most cases. However, this is not the case in Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery†. Here, the characters in the story are not gambling for money, instead they are gambling for their life. A shock that surprises the reader as she unveils this horrifying tradition in the village on this beautifulRead MoreEssay on Theme of the Unexpected in The Lottery1819 Words   |  8 PagesExpect the Unexpected What thoughts come to mind when you think of The Lottery? 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