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Religion In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Decent Essays

The Lottery is a short story written by Shirley Jackson and published in 1948. The story takes place in a small, rural town with a population of 300 people. The main focus of the plot is on a tradition that the entire village hosts annually, which is a lottery contest. Normally, a lottery presents a chance for the participants to win a desirable prize, but in this scenario, the winner is instead rewarded with the gruesome misfortune of being stoned by all the residents. The village tradition is one that is celebrated without clear reason. While a strong, positive tradition can serve a society well for future years, the annual lottery contest is one tradition that is misguided and detrimental. The ineffectiveness of this tradition is comparative …show more content…

While it is not explicitly stated that the governing principle of the narratives society is religiously based, it is implied. Some hints that lead towards this conclusion is the consistent use of the word, “ritual,” a term commonly associated with cults and religions, and the phrase, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon,” which is suggestive that supernatural powers are at play. However, religion is not a bad thing to have in a society, the problem arises when it develops into something more strict and unforgiving. Sigmund Freud’s theory of personality can be applied to this scenario. He theorized that personality is divided into three components, the id, the ego, and the superego. The superego is the component which forms the morale of a person. While development of the superego is important, a person with a strong superego is guided by rigid morals, which can lead someone to be judgemental and unwavering in their interactions with the world. This kind of development is exemplified in the villagers, especially when Tessie, who was selected from the black lottery box, was displayed as unsportsmanlike by Mrs. Delacroix and Mr. Graves. The strict tendencies that the tradition has evolved into limits the healthy growth and progression of the society and the people within

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