The Lottery By Shirley Jackson Analysis Essay

The analysis of the short story “The Lottery” In “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson brings readers to an old traditional rite in 1940s New England. Jackson is a famous writer and “The Lottery” is one of her most famous article which was published in 1948. Jackson narrates this story about people live in a small town gather together in order to take part in the lottery. It seems to be harmony and the scenery description at the beginning give audiences a feeling of relaxation: “[T]he flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green” (1). It shows how beautiful the day is, and it seems that people in the village are going to hold a grand pleasant activity. However, after reading through the story, every beautiful words Jackson writes sharply contrast with the cruel people and the evil event they hold every year. And everything
“Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square”, although she misses the beginning of the lottery, the word “hurriedly” shows her passion to attend the cruel rite(2). Also, all of the villagers want to join in this brutal slaughter in the name of “tradition”, most people believe in an old saying said by old man Warner: “‘ [l]ottery in June, corn be heavy soon’”(4). This saying is not only very concise but also rhyming. Thus we can easily know that it must be widely said in this small village for a long period of time. On another hand, the weakness of humanity is to sell others while people falls in a dangerous situation, especially when people faces to the death. The most typical example Jackson describes in the story is Tessie. She wants her two daughters to draw the cards but everybody knows that daughters draw with their family since they are married women. She does not deserve the title of good mother