Analysis Of Tage Rai's Article 'How Could They?'

In the article “How Could They?”, moral psychologist, Tage Rai introduces the idea that people resort to violence because of their moral codes, a pretext that is used to justify the act of stoning, as seen in “The Lottery” and in Iran. In his article, Tage Rai explains that violence will continue to exist as long as the perpetrator committing the crime views the action as morally just, as he writes, “Across all cases, perpetrators are using violence to create, conduct, sustain, enhance, transform, honour, protect, redress, repair, end, and mourn valued relationships…The purpose of violence is to sustain a moral order” (Rai 15). The words “protect, honor, enhance, and repair” provide a positive connotation, making the reader assume that no ill-intent is made evident by the criminal.
Shirley Jackson’s shorty story, “The Lottery” demonstrates no sense of compassion or reluctancy when Tessie Hutchinson is chosen as the ‘winner' to be stoned. Jackson’s description of the proceedings following Mrs. Hutchinson’s win sharpens the violence, as she writes, “The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready…And someone gave little Davy Hutchinson few pebbles”