Essay on Symbolism and Characterization in Jackson’s The Lottery

Symbolically the battered black box represents the death that it brings to the community as well as a worn out tradition. The box is mentioned repeatedly throughout the story, which is a sign of its importance, although we are kept in the dark about its ultimate function until the very end. It is described as "…no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places [is] faded or stained." (Jackson 75). This seems to also describe the lottery itself- old, faded, and stained with the blood of all those who have died in years past. Ironically, the black box used in the story was said not to be the original box and the papers that they used were substitutes for the old wood chips. This is a sign that the tradition is so old and meaningless that it can be constantly added to or taken away from. "Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box…[and] every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything being done" (Jackson 75). Perhaps Mr. Summers's idea symbolizes a need for a new tradition.

To them it is a tradition they cannot let go of their past. “Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground with the blowing scraps of paper that had come out of the box Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar. “Come on,” she said. “Hurry up. “(Jackson,7) they may not love the lottery but they wont end it they just want to get it over with and go on about their day. The people in the village do not try to change their ways but to continue and advance the problem to the next generation

The small village in this short story contains “only about three hundred people” (Jackson 2). Such a small population doesn’t allow for much class stratification; however, the villagers can be divided into four groups. The children who innocently run wild and talk amongst themselves make up the first class. They don’t have much purpose at all during the lottery; in fact, during the first part of the lottery process, Jackson doesn’t even mentioned them. The women who gossip and stand by their husbands make up the second class. Even though they don’t draw during the first part of the lottery (with the exception of Mrs. Dunbar), they provide commentary in the form of gossip such as “[t]ime sure goes fast” (Jackson 3) and “[t]here goes my old man” (Jackson 4). The men who lead their families and act maturely make up the next class. They don't talk much, but have a higher class that of their wives and children. Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves who control the lottery make up the final class. They act as the leaders of the village, while the men act as leaders of their families. This class structure gives the village minor divisions that influence the short story.

there is quiet conversation between friends. Mr. Summers, who runs the lottery, arrives with a black box. The original box was lost many years ago, even before Old Man Warner, the oldest person in the village, can remember. Each year Mr. Summers suggests that they make a new box, but no one is willing to go against tradition. The people were willing to use slips of paper instead of woodchips as markers, as the village had grown too large for the wood chips to fit in the box. A list of all the families and households in the village is made, and several matters of who will draw for each family are decided. Mr. Summers is sworn in as the official of the lottery in a specific ceremony. Some people remember that there used to be a song and salute as part of the ceremony, but these are no longer performed. Tessie Hutchinson arrives in the square late because she has forgotten what day it was. She joins her husband and children before the lottery can begin. Mr. Summers explains the lottery’s rules: each family will be called up to the box and draw a slip of paper. One of the villagers tells Old Man Warner that the people of a nearby village are thinking about ending the lottery. Old Man Warner laughs at the idea. He believes that giving up the lottery would cause nothing but trouble, and a loss of civilized behavior. A woman responds that some places have already given up the lottery. Everyone finishes drawing, and each

The black box that enclosed the names of each family is a symbol of how long traditions can go on. The townspeople believed it was constructed from the wood chips used to make the prior box from long ago. Along with the box, the color of the box, black, is a symbol of darkness and death. It is implied that it is meaning to show how much horror a single traditional object can bring. The box was worn and chipped also, and the wearing of the box symbolizes that a tradition can change in little ways, but it will always be the same. “...some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the

The black box is the second symbol that also resembles the tradition of the lottery and holds an important purpose as well, the black box in the story is old and falling apart due to age. Shirley Jackson describes the box saying “the black box grew shabbier each year”, “it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color” (291). the villagers are frightened that the black box will be left out of the tradition since the lottery has been done including the black box . Mr. Summers is aware of the box and talked to the people of village of replacing the black box and making a new one, but the villagers did not like the idea of having a new box and forgetting the black box. Shirley jackson says

Each year when one person is stoned to death the rest of the village will have good luck until the next year. They believe that the lottery is there for their good luck and fortune:“Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while” (Jackson 4). The people of the village believe that enough food will be brought to the society due to the lottery. Also, the old rotten black box needed to be replaced and the villagers were not willing to: “But no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the box” ( Jackson 1). The people of the village did not want to change the tradition that was happening for many years.

“The less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it” (Twain 32). Traditions are part of every culture of humanity and in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson their tradition was extremely abnormal. The small town is also not named to add to the effect that it could be any town. Shirley Jackson uses symbolism across the entire story, such as the black box, the lottery, the three-legged stool, and the names of the characters, to bring to light the needless and possible evil traditions that people follow, that are mostly brought upon the bible.

Even though the lottery itself doesn’t make any apparent sense and the positive consequences of performing the ritual aren’t apparent, the villagers follow it yearly. The only original thing that remains of the ancient tradition is the decrepit black lottery box. The citizens view the box as their last connection to the original lottery. Even though the box has become decrepit and their only connection to the original lottery, they still are afraid to go against the tradition and whole heartedly refute those who go against the tradition.

The first warning against tradition is the villagers’ treatment of the lottery when the day

All the villagers gather in the square by a post office and bank around ten o’clock. The lottery begins shortly after and only the head of the families are allowed to draw a paper from the black box. Everyone are being called alphabetically while every villager draws nervously and walks back to their families

Some may think that the symbolism in “The Lottery” actually represents risk and reward because the villagers take a risk when they participate in the ritual and it’s a reward not to be murdered. Although the short story does have risk worked into its plot, it fails to account that there is no reward in “The Lottery.” Also, there is a risk in everything and there definitely isn’t a reward in everything. The only thing in the ritual that even comes close to reward is not dying.

When we think of tradition we typically think of holidays, who cooks dinner and who puts the star on the top of the tree. In “The Lottery” a short story by Shirley Jackson alters the belief of good tradition transitions into a bad one. The citizens in this small town follow a tradition that one might not see every day. The title for one makes readers think of hope and a prize of some sort will be given to a winner. Then the story begins with a description of a beautiful summer afternoon, which is very warm and welcoming. The town anxiously gathers in the town square to take part in the yearly lottery. This lottery is not like your ordinary lotteries; this is one that you do not want to win. The winner of this lottery will be stone to death.

I think that the Black box represents the tradition of the lottery because “The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black box now resting on the stool had been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest person in town, was born. Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box” (2). This part of the text shows that the lottery is a tradition because they keep using the same black box over and over, and the people in the town want to keep the same box that the original lottery used. This clearly shows that the lottery has been occurring many times

The drawing process essentially begins and ends with the box. This object, while very important and mysterious, is also symbolic. Most obviously, the black coloration represents death. As shown when Mr. Summers asks for help, men are afraid of it and the oblivion it carries with it (Jackson 1). In fact, all residents have a strange relationship with the box because it represents the Lottery: a mix of fear, yet also an obligation to participate in and respect tradition. This relationship is exemplified by the citizens’ want to fix the box, but failure to (Jackson 2). The villagers struggle with this division of loyalties throughout the story.