Use of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Symbols also play a crucial role in making this story. The black box represents the tradition. It is even made out of previous black boxes that have been used in the village for previous lotteries. At first, both the lottery and the black box appear rather innocent, but they both actually hold something full of malice. Additionally, both of these things have

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.

“The Lottery” has many symbols that help create the sinister and somber tone of the story. The black box from which the papers are drawn as well as the black dot on the paper are both symbolic of death. Black is a universally accepted

The author uses this symbol to help readers relate the story to their everyday life more easily. In society people may think something is wrong but if they see a bunch of people doing it they’ll go ahead and do it themselves. At the end of the story, when the winner was picked, the narrator says “A stone hit her on the side of the head” (Jackson 217). This quote refers that nobody saw who was the first one to hit her but as soon as the stone hit her head ¨then they were upon her” (218). People at first were unsure whether to start throwing the stones or not, but as soon as one threw the first one, they all followed without hesitation.

Tess’s tone in her last words before being stoned is desperate and hysterical, because she knows that her protests will not result in anything but death. The black box used in the lottery each year isn’t something that the reader would usually associate with a happy lottery. The box is described as, “shabby…splintered…faded and stained,” yet no one in the community wants to replace it because, “no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box.” The color black symbolizes the savage and evil nature of the lottery as well as the townspeople’s participation in it and the shabbiness of the box indicates how outdated the tradition truly is. Like the lottery, the box is well worn with its real purpose lost, and the townspeople are extremely reluctant in letting it go, even getting defensive when the idea of it is brought up. After the stoning of the “winner” occurs, the townspeople go on with their lives as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The lottery takes less than two hours so that the townspeople could, “…get home for noon dinner,” immediately following the execution. The normalcy of the lottery to the townspeople is horrifying and all throughout the story everyone seems ok with this evil tradition, children are shown laughing and their parents, gossiping and talking about work. When Tess Hutchinson chooses the paper slip with a black dot making her the “winner”, Bill Hutchinson, her husband, as

Likewise, the black box is symbolic in the short story. It is a prehistoric box in which the villagers draw the slips of paper but do not want to replace it to avoid “upsetting tradition.” The black box is a symbol to the villagers because many people before them have practiced the lottery. “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 man in town, was born” (Jackson 1). Lending confidence to the villagers, the black box reminds them to trust in their forefathers. Not only are the stones and black box symbolic, but also the marked slip of paper. It is with a single dark dot that indicates who the next victim of the lottery will be. The dot appears to look like a spot or a blemish on a piece of paper. These are frequently associated with disease and so the marking of the dot symbolizes the marking of a person for destruction. The paper itself also manifests the pointlessness of the lottery; it was created by Joe Summers who though of it the night before on a scratch piece of paper with a pencil. It is this mark, made by a random human, that determines the fate of a person. The marked slip of paper holds no power, but rather the power that

Throughout the whole story they talk about the black box saying that if they do away with it their crops won’t grow and that it’s a tradition. “It holds the key between life and death for every single person in the community.” It shows that is ado or die situation in and you must be apart of it in the community. It also represents tradition, “Harsh tradition of our society many of which we carry out daily with knowing why. We have tradition because we’re so accustomed to it not knowing why we do it, people just go along with it and do it because it a tradition and they think they have to follow it because their families from the past use to practices it.

There are many important symbolic items in this story, but the major symbolic items are the black wooden box, white slips of paper and the stones. The black box represents the tradition of the lottery. As the lottery itself the black box is old and worn. Also, the color of the box is black which could represent death since black is considered color of death. The black box was always kept in public view to remind the villagers about the tradition “The postmaster, Mr. Graves, followed him, carrying a three-legged stool, and the stool was put in the centre of the square and Mr. Summers set the black box down on it” (Jackson 4). The three-legged stool on which the box was placed is also important since the stool itself was unstable and at one point almost got knocked down. The tradition as the three-legged stool is unstable and could get knocked down at any point. Next, the white slips of paper “He dropped all the papers but those onto the ground, where the breeze caught them and lifted them off.” (Jackson 60). The papers represent the lives of the villagers and how their lives can be taken away at any moment with a single

Symbolism is a key part of making a good story. It defines and helps you comprehend the story in a new way. It also introduces new viewpoints and effects the plot. The significance symbolism of animals, colors, and objects are seen throughout stories such as the veldt, monsters on maple street and the lottery.

can be interpreted in a different way. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short

In a small New England village where all the residents are gathering for their traditional annual lottery. The lottery gradually becomes an important part in all the residents. Tessie Hutchinson seems unconcerned about the tradition until her family have to take part in the dreaded mark. Then she protests that the process wasn't fair. The "winner," it turns out, will be stoned to death by the remaining residents. Tessie wins, and the story closes as the villagers -- including her own family members -- begin to throw rocks at her. Then about the symbolism of this short story, we can know black box symbol for death and its randomness and the lottery symbol for any action, behavior or idea that has been

Many great authors use symbolism numerous of time in their stories. A symbol is a noun or word that represents a different idea. An author displays the symbols as a hit rather than blurting it out. Symbols are not only used in novels or poems, they are also used in everyday use. For an example, the American flag has fifty stars on it which each star represents a state. On the other hand, the thirteen stripes plays the part of our thirteen colonies; the beginning of our country. Even with our high school, a tiger pawl represents us as a fighting tiger that will strive to do what’s right, and to show our strength against our greatest rivals.

“The Lottery” was an interesting piece of information because I did not expect the outcome of the story. Basing off from the title, I was ready to read of a person who had won the lottery and their journey detailing what they had done with such large amount of money in their possession. However, I stumbled across a story where people from a small village had gathered for the lottery the morning of June 27th to conduct a ceremony that had now been a ritual of theirs for years. I was noticing throughout the reading that people had to grab a piece of paper from the black box that Mr. Summers had but this paper symbolized something. After I had finished the reading and arrived at the conclusion, Tessie Hutchinson held a paper

This story takes place in a small village consisting only of three hundred citizens. On June the 27th, the residents of the village gathers in the town square, to take part in the annual lottery run by Mr. Summers. The children, newly released from school, are the first to assemble, the boys gathering small piles of stones while doing so. When the whole town is gathered, the ceremony starts of, by Mr. Summers checking if everyone is present. Then slowly one by one, the family names will be shouted, and the head of the family will go up to the black box, containing small slips og paper, and pick out on for the family without opening it. Bill Hutchinson draws for his family, and end up getting the paper with a black dot on it. Tessie, Bills’

“The Lottery” is written by Shirley Jackson and the setting is in the town square on June 27, a beautiful day. While all 300 village members stand together amongst their families, Mr. Summers carries the black box to the front of the crowd, followed by Mr. Graves. Inside the black box consist of names with each village members name written on the slip of paper. Once he reads the names, the family head will come up and draw a slip of paper. After everyone has a slip, everyone opens their paper then quickly realizes that Bill Hutchinson has “got it.” Therefore, a slip of paper is put in the box for each of his household members, and then his household members draw. His wife, Tessie Hutchinson drew the one with the black dot on it. People