Lecture Notes: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

Overview

• Title: The Lottery
• Author: Shirley Jackson
• Setting: Village square, June 27th, sunny summer day
• Population: About 300 villagers

Event Description

• Annual lottery held in the village square.
• Takes less than two hours, allowing villagers to return home for noon dinner.
• Traditional event, deeply rooted in local customs.

Characters

• Mr. Summers: Conducts the lottery, owns a coal business, jovial but childless.
• Mr. Graves: Postmaster, helps Mr. Summers with the lottery.
• Old Man Warner: Oldest man in town, staunch supporter of the lottery tradition.
• Tessie Hutchinson: Arrives late, becomes central figure later.
• Bill Hutchinson: Tessie's husband, draws for the family.
• Dunbar Family: Mr. Dunbar absent due to a broken leg, Mrs. Dunbar draws.
• Watson Family: Young Jack Watson draws for his family.

Lottery Process

• Preparation:

  • Black box used, tradition lost but some elements like using stones remain.
  • Box kept in different places each year; slips of paper used instead of wood chips.
  • Lists prepared for heads of families and households.

• Conducting the Lottery:

  • Heads of families draw slips of paper from the black box.
  • Mr. Summers calls names, people draw papers but do not open them immediately.
  • Once all have drawn, they open papers simultaneously.

Outcome

• Hutchinson Family Draws Black Spot:

  • Bill Hutchinson draws the marked paper for his family.
  • Tessie Hutchinson protests the fairness of the draw.
  • Hutchinson family members each draw again.

• Tessie Hutchinson Marked:

  • Tessie draws the marked slip, designating her as the "winner."
  • Villagers, including her family, proceed to stone her as part of the ritual.
  • Tessie protests the fairness repeatedly, ending with her being stoned.

Themes

• Tradition vs. Change:

  • The lottery is an unquestioned tradition, despite its brutality.
  • Some talk of abandoning it, but traditionalists like Old Man Warner resist change.

• Social Dynamics and Conformity:

  • Villagers conform to the ritual despite personal relationships.
  • Highlights the power of social pressure and blind adherence to tradition.

• Human Nature:

  • The story depicts the dark side of human nature when individuals follow tradition without questioning morality.

Critical Analysis

• Symbolism:

  • The Black Box: Represents tradition, decay, and the unchangeable nature of the lottery.
  • Stones: Symbolize the collective violence and participation of the community.

• Irony:

  • The sunny, beautiful day contrasts with the horrific event.
  • The term "lottery" usually implies winning something positive, contrasting sharply with the outcome.

Conclusion

• "The Lottery" is a powerful commentary on the dangers of blindly following tradition and the capacity for violence within ordinary people.