What Is The Point Of The Tradition In The Lottery?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

For all the villagers, the lottery is a normal ritual of society, and they have to participate every year. Their tradition says that

someone has to die in order for the crops to grow.

What was the purpose of the tradition in the lottery?

The elaborate ritual of the lottery is designed

so that all villagers have the same chance of becoming the victim—even children are at risk

. Each year, someone new is chosen and killed, and no family is safe.

What is the point of the lottery by Shirley Jackson?

There is a lottery to see which kid will likely be killed. The point is,

follow the rules

, because those are the rules. The point of the story as a whole to the reader though is a warning against blindly following rules.

Is tradition a theme in the lottery?

Shirley Jackson's book, ‘The Lottery' is a short story which portrays an annually held lottery in a small town in England. … The theme of Tradition in Shirley Jackson's book is

portrayed strongly as the villagers of a small town assemble at the Town's Square

to hold a Lottery that seemed so harmless at first.

What does the black box symbolize in the lottery?

The Black Box

The shabby black box represents both the tradition of the lottery and

the illogic of the villagers' loyalty to it

. The black box is nearly falling apart, hardly even black anymore after years of use and storage, but the villagers are unwilling to replace it.

Why is Tessie stoned to death in The Lottery?

Tessie is stoned to

because she's the “winner” of the lottery

. The townspeople seem to believe that unless they sacrifice one of their own, crops will fail. It's an old tradition, and very few think to question it at all.

What is ironic about the ending of The Lottery?

The plot as a whole in “The Lottery” is filled with ironic twists.

The whole idea of a lottery is to win something, and the reader is led to believe that the winner will receive some prize, when in actuality they will be stoned to death by the rest of the villagers

.

What does June 27 mean in The Lottery?

That's because June 27, in Shirley Jackson's short story, “The Lottery,” is the date when

residents of a seemingly quaint small town gather to participate in a ritual act of violence

– a development only revealed in the story's final passages.

Which statement is a theme of the lottery?

The main themes in “The Lottery” are

the vulnerability of the individual, the importance of questioning tradition, and the relationship between civilization and violence

. The vulnerability of the individual: Given the structure of the annual lottery, each individual townsperson is defenseless against the larger group.

How does the lottery relate to real life?

“The Lottery” relates to

real life because it shows us how people can easily be repressed by the communities they inhabit

. Most of us derive great strength and comfort from the communities in which we live. But too many people are repressed by the communities in which they live.

Why is Mrs Hutchinson upset?

Mrs. Hutchinson is upset when

she draws the slip of paper with the black spot

because this indicates that she has “won” the lottery, meaning she will become the town's annual sacrifice.

Where is the black box kept in the lottery?

The slips are folded and placed in a black wooden box, which in turn is stored in a safe at

Mr. Summers' office

until the lottery is scheduled to begin. Upon the morning of the lottery, the townspeople gather shortly before 10 a.m. in order to have everything done in time for lunch.

What important preparation is made a night before the lottery?

The night before the drawing the

two men prepare slips for every household

in the community–but not for every individual member of every household. The night before the lottery, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves made up the slips of paper and put them in the box, and it was then taken to the safe of Mr.

Why don't they stop having the lottery?

Why don't they stop having it?

They are afraid that they will not have a good harvest if they stop

. 13. Name other cultures that participate in sacrificial rituals.

Do you agree with Mrs Hutchinson is the lottery unfair?

Answer:

Mrs. Hutchinson does not find the lottery unfair

, until her husband is picked as a winner. It is only when the lottery directly affects her life that she complains about it.

Did Tessie get killed in the lottery?

The unlucky loser of the lottery. Tessie draws the paper with the black mark on it and is

stoned to death

.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.