In the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the winner of the lottery is Tessie Hutchinson. The lottery is an annual tradition in the small village where the story takes place, but it is unlike any lottery most people are familiar with. Rather than rewarding the winner with riches, the winner of this lottery is stoned to death by the other villagers as part of a sacrificial ritual believed to ensure a good harvest.
Tessie initially seems unconcerned about the lottery and arrives late, but when her family is selected to draw from the black box, she protests that her husband should not be the one to draw as he has a broken leg. However, her protests are ignored and her family members each draw a paper from the box. When it is revealed that Tessie has drawn the paper with the black spot, marking her as the winner of the lottery, she protests the unfairness of the process. However, her friends and neighbors, including even her own family members, turn against her and insist the lottery must proceed. As the stones begin to fly at the end of the story, Tessie is stoned to death by the villagers as the lottery winner.
Background on “The Lottery”
“The Lottery” was first published in 1948 in The New Yorker magazine. At the time, it generated more reader response than any other short story the magazine had ever published. Most readers were horrified by the story’s violent ritual and the willingness of ordinary townsfolk to participate in such an atrocity. The story explores themes about the dangers of stubborn adherence to traditions, as well as the dark side of human nature when mob mentality takes over.
While shocking and disturbing, the story reflects anthropological studies of rituals practiced by cultures around the world to ensure fertility and abundant crop yields. Jackson builds up the tension in the story skillfully, leading readers to think it will have a happy ending until the horrifying truth is revealed. The story’s violent conclusion and examination of senseless brutality against a scapegoat made it very controversial, but it is now considered a classic American short story and a shocking portrayal of remorseless conformity.
Key Events Leading to Tessie’s Fate
Here are some of the key events in “The Lottery” that lead to Tessie becoming the unlikely victim:
- Tessie arrives late to the annual lottery ritual, indicating she is not taking it seriously
- Her husband Bill draws the marked slip of paper from the black box, sealing Tessie’s fate
- When Tessie protests and insists Bill check the papers again, the townspeople refuse
- Although Tessie thinks the lottery is unfair, none of her friends support her objections
- As the winner, Tessie attempts to flee but is caught and immobilized by the crowd
- Her own family and friends, including her husband Bill, pick up stones to throw at her
- Tessie is brutally pelted with stones by loved ones and neighbors until she dies
Despite her protests, there is no way for Tessie to escape her fate once the lottery declares her the winner. The seemingly civilized villagers stop at nothing to carry out the violent ritual they cling to out of tradition.
Analysis of Tessie’s Character
As the protagonist of “The Lottery,” Tessie Hutchinson serves as the tragic victim of the barbaric annual event. Her character can be analyzed from multiple perspectives:
Tessie as Conformist
For most of her life, Tessie participated in the lottery without objection, even though it often resulted in the violent murder of a friend or neighbor. Her casual participation in such a brutal practice highlights the ability of people to conform and go along with harmful traditions simply because “it’s always been that way.”
Tessie as Self-Interested
While Tessie acquiesces to the lottery for years, when her own family is selected, she immediately objects and looks for a way out. This shift emphasizes her self-interested nature and unwillingness to accept the violent fate she was happy to inflict on others in the past.
Tessie as Scapegoat
As the sacrificial victim, Tessie serves as a scapegoat for the entire village. The lottery is barbaric and senseless, but putting to death an innocent person they associate with the evils of the past year allows the villagers to feel absolved. Tessie’s gruesome murder becomes an act of purification and rebirth for the community.
Tessie as Blind Follower of Tradition
Jackson never fully explains the origin of the lottery or how it came to be such an accepted part of the town’s culture. Tessie’s participation in the senseless brutality year after year demonstrates the danger of blind allegiance to harmful traditions that should be abandoned. Her end underscores the need to question traditions rather than follow them without understanding why.
Explanation of the Story’s Shocking Conclusion
The shocking conclusion of “The Lottery” provides no happy ending or moral resolution. Instead, it depicts the senseless murder of an innocent woman by friends and family determined to uphold a brutal tradition no matter what. Here are some explanations of the disturbing ending:
Emphasizes the Power of Mob Mentality
The chilling conclusion vividly demonstrates how quickly a group of otherwise ordinary people can be swayed to commit horrific violence through mob mentality. Once the lottery declares Tessie the winner, no one will speak up or break from the crowd.
Reveals the Banality of Evil
The violence is made more horrifying by the fact that it is committed not by evil strangers but by Tessie’s own husband, friends, and family members. Through them, Jackson reveals how average people can do unthinkable things once conformist groupthink takes over.
Underscores the Danger of Tradition for Tradition’s Sake
By demonstrating the townspeople’s unquestioning adherence to such a terrible ritual, the conclusion suggests the human tendency to follow traditions blindly can have horrifying consequences. The story acts as a warning against following customs without evaluating their purpose.
Provides Commentary on Human Nature
While shocking, the ending ultimately reflects the human capacity for great darkness and brutality, especially when caught up in collective action. It raises questions about mob mentality and our willingness to harm others when absolved of responsibility.
The ending is unexpected yet realistic in its depiction of the violence otherwise ordinary people can justify when compelled by the power of tradition. Its harshness forces readers to confront the reality of human darkness.
Major Themes and Analysis
“The Lottery” explores several important themes that drive the story and lend it deeper meaning beyond just its shocking conclusion.
Dangers of Blind Obedience to Tradition
One of the clearest themes of the story is the danger of following traditions without thinking about their purpose, value, or origin. The villagers participate in an annual murder simply because it is what has always been done, underscoring the human tendency towards unquestioning conformity.
The Crowd Mentality vs. Individual Responsibility
Tessie is murdered not by one cruel person but by the collaborative action of all her friends and loved ones. This emphasizes the power of the crowd mentality to override moral objections that individuals may have when acting alone. It raises potent questions about the nature of culpability when diffused across a group.
Senselessness of Violence
The ritual murder of an innocent woman highlights how acts of violence are often senseless and unjustified, especially when committed in the name of empty tradition. Its brutality emphasizes the pointless nature of much of the evil humans are capable of.
The Scapegoat or Sacrificial Victim
As the lottery winner, Tessie becomes the scapegoat for all the fears and sins of the community. The ritual murder of an arbitrary villager allows the town to feel absolved without addressing the complex social problems plaguing them.
Symbolism of the Lottery Ritual
The elaborate ritual of the lottery itself holds symbolism related to concepts of chance, arbitrariness, fortune, mass action vs. individual will, and the inevitability of death. These concepts take on ominous overtones in the story.
Critical Reception and Impact of “The Lottery”
“The Lottery” generated extremely strong responses when it was first published and continues to be heavily analyzed in literary studies today. Here is an overview of its key responses and cultural impacts:
Initial Shock and Outrage
The story was deeply shocking to readers when it was first published, with many disgusted by its brutal conclusion. Hundreds of angry letters poured into The New Yorker, with some subscriptions cancelled in protest.
Lasting Popularity and Acclaim
While controversial, “The Lottery” has endured as one of the most highly regarded American short stories, even being named the top American short story of the 20th century in a 1999 poll.
Criticism of Jackson’s Social Commentary
Some critics have condemned “The Lottery” as dangerously misanthropic in its negation of human values. Others see it as exaggerating human flaws for effect or making flawed assumptions about human nature.
Analysis of Universal Themes
Many scholars contend the story touches on timeless themes about human darkness that transcend the traits of any one village, making it resonate universally. They see it as insightfully revealing the human condition.
Study of Cultural Traditions and Psychology
Based on the anthropological aspects, many analyze the story in the context of critiques of ritual cannibalism and scapegoat rituals practiced cross-culturally. It is seen as a study of cultural conditioning and crowd psychology.
Cautionary Tale
Some teachers and readers highlight “The Lottery” as a cautionary tale underscoring the need to question traditions and conformity. The shocking outcome reveals the potential cost of blind obedience.
Comparison of “The Lottery” and Other Works
Jackson’s disturbing short story has often been compared to other controversial works of literature. Here is how it aligns with several other notable texts:
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” vs. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin
| The Lottery | The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas |
|---|---|
|
|
Links to “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
– Both involve shocking acts of violence committed by ordinary people when removed from societal constraints
– Underscore the capacity for savagery that lurks within humanity
– Suggest that morally unrestrained groupthink can override individual morality
– Reveal the darkness at the core of human nature when social controls disappear
Compare to Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
– Conrad’s work also deals with horrifying mob violence justified through groupthink, dehumanization of victims
– Both examine how collectivist rituals can enable normally decent individuals to commit atrocities
– Stories serve as cautionary tales underscoring the fragility of human morality once conformity takes over
– Illustrate the ease with which groups can descend into unrestrained savagery against scapegoats
Significance of the Black Box in “The Lottery”
The black box used in the lottery ritual is a key symbol in Jackson’s story. Here is an analysis of the box’s significance:
Represents the Tradition’s History and Origins
The box is ancient and splintered, suggesting it has been used for generations to conduct the lottery year after year, with no beginning or end in sight.
Stands for Collective Action and Conformity
No one person controls the lottery outcome; the box requires contributions from all villagers to contain their fateful papers. This suggests collective action and shared responsibility.
Imbues the Ritual with Sense of Fatalism
Those who draw from the box exhibit a sense of fatalistic resignation about the arbitrary outcomes over which they have no control. The unpredictable result seems predetermined.
Reflects the Ritual’s Senselessness and Lack of Transparency
The black box conceals the papers inside from view, just as the logic behind the lethal lottery is left unexamined. Its origins are obscure and purpose opaque.
Symbolizes Unknown Forces That Impact Human Lives
The unknowable black box and randomly chosen paper suggest capricious fate or unfathomable forces dictating human events, like life and death.
As an iconic part of this infamous ritual, the battered black box takes on ritualistic overtones and layers of meaning in Jackson’s dark tale. It represents the long-held yet inexplicable traditions that wield unchecked power over vulnerable human lives.
Key Quotes from “The Lottery”
Shirley Jackson’s story contains several memorable quotes that encapsulate its main themes and ideas:
On the Power of Tradition:
“…there’s always been a lottery…”
“Because that’s the way we’ve always done it…”
These quotes suggest adherence to traditions for their own sake, without need for logical explanations.
On Conformity:
“The people had done it so many times that they only half listened…”
“Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual…they still remembered to use stones.”
The automatic, unthinking nature of the villagers’ actions highlights mob conformity.
On Fatalism and Acceptance:
“They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner…”
“My daughter draws,” Mr. Summers said…Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand.”
These quotes depict resignation to an unavoidable fate once selected by the lottery.
On Savagery and Betrayal:
“The children had stones already…”
“Her friends and neighbors… began to pick up stones.”
The willingness to kill loved ones betrays the villagers’ humanity.
Conclusion
In “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson shockingly demonstrates how unfettered groupthink can empower deadly ritualistic traditions and normalize senseless brutality. Through Tessie Hutchinson’s tragic fate, she exposes the human capacity to commit unspeakable evil when compelled by conformity and ancestral customs taken to dangerous extremes. The story provocatively suggests that each of us harbors an inner darkness susceptible to mob psychology and dehumanization of the “other.” While controversial, its raw portrait of ritual violence and unchecked conformity remains deeply relevant as a disturbing lens on human nature and the blind adherence to traditions that defy logic or morality.