The Lottery Symbolism And Symbolism - 973 Words

After reading The Lottery you might think about what you are actually winning in a lottery type setting. In the story which is enriched with irony and symbolism. As a reader interpreting the uses of each of these is crucial on discovering the full story. 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. They base their attachment on nothing more than a story that claims that this black box was made from pieces of another, older black box. The lottery is filled with similar relics from the past that have supposedly been passed down from earlier days, such as the creation of family lists and use of stones. These are part of the tradition, from which no one wants to deviate—the lottery must take place in just this way because this is how it’s always been done. However, other lottery traditions have been changed or forgotten. The villagers use slips of paper instead of wood chips, for example. There is no reason why the villagers should be loyal to the black box yet disloyal to other relics and traditions, just as there is no logical reason why the villagers should continue holding the lottery at all. The lottery represents any action, behavior, or idea that is passed down from one generation to the next that’s accepted and followed unquestioningly, no matter howShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in the Lottery1391 Words   |  6 PagesShirley Jackson#8217;s, #8220;The Lottery#8221;, clearly expresses her feelings concerning traditional rituals through her story. It opens the eyes of readers to properly classify and question some of today#8217;s traditions as cruel, and allows room to foretell the outcome of these unusual traditions. #8220;The Lottery#8221; is a short story that records the annual sacrifice ceremony of a fictional small town. It is a detailed narrative of the selection of the person to be sacrificed, aRead MoreThe Lottery Symbolism649 Words   |  3 PagesIn Shirley Jacksons short story The Lottery, one of the main characters is Mr. Summers. The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers. Summers might be the busy body of the village, but he is not the protagonist of the story. Because he represents the status quo situation in the village, his presence in the story is one of the most significant symbols of The Lottery. Summers represents blind adherence to ritual, as he is in chargeRead MoreLottery Essay Symbolism1249 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism Essay Symbolism is a sign that has been used by literary authors to represent a larger idea into another more specific concept or belief. Symbolism can be used to represent an action, an idea or a person’s archetype as well. The term symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing in things with a symbolic meaning or character (â€Å"Symbolism†). Examples of symbolism are: an eagle representing freedom, a dove representing peace, and the color green can symbolizeRead MoreSymbolism in The Lottery Essay802 Words   |  4 PagesTo a first time reader, Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery† seems simply as a curious tale with a shocking ending. After repetitive reading of Jacksons tale, it is clear that each sentence is written with a unique purpose often using symbolism. Her use of symbols not only foreshadow its surprise and disturbing ending but allows the reader to evaluate the communitys pervert traditional rituals. She may be commenting on the season of the year and the grass being â€Å"richly green† or the toying with theRead MoreThe Lottery Symbolism Essay804 Words   |  4 PagesThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story based on a fictional village that holds a macabre ritual. Although the regularity was not stated within the tale, the story speaks of a regular gathering of the village folk to conduct some form of lottery. In a disturbing twist of the tale, the winner of the lottery doesn’t get to receive a prize, but instead, suffer the indignity of being killed by getting stoned to death by friends, family, and neighbors. Mrs. Hutchinson is the unfortunate soul,Read MoreThe Lottery Symbolism Essay992 Words   |  4 Pagesof The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is simply trying to understand what the symbols in the story mean. These symbols included the lottery, the tools used in the lottery and even the people of the town. Within the first few lines of Shirley Jackson described a picture of a clear, sunny, fresh and warm summer day. She continues this sense of comfort by adding small children playing after being released from school for the summer, and the townspeople gathering calmly for the annual â€Å"Lottery†. JacksonRead MoreThe Lottery Symbolism Essay908 Words   |  4 PagesAll around the world today thousands of people die from murder and the numbers increase every year. Our world is filled with violence and tragedies that keep increasing, just like in, Shirley Jacksons story â€Å"The Lottery.† The characters in a small village choose someone to stone to death each year because of tradition. As this tradition continues, more and more people die as time passes. All of the towns folk grow more and more nervous, hoping not to get picked. They gather in the town square toRead MoreSymbolism In The Lottery, By Shirley Jackson869 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism is used throughout The Lottery in the character names. Author, Shirley Jackson, uses the name of, Mr. Graves, to foreshadow the story and explain what â€Å"The Lottery† really is. Mr. Graves is the one who carries the three-legged stool which could indicate two things: the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or it could mean the past, present and future, saying that â€Å"The Lottery† will always be among the people of the village. In addition, he is also the owner of the post office andRead MoreSymbolism Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson1577 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson s The Lottery , is a story that is filled with symbolism. The author uses symbolism to help her represent human nature as tainted, no matter how pure one thinks of himself or herself, or how pure their environment may seem to be. The story is very effective in raising many questions about the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The Lottery clearly expresses Jackson s feelings co ncerning mankind?s evil nature hiding behind traditions and ritualsRead MoreSymbolism Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson926 Words   |  4 PagesWhen incorporated well, symbolism enhances a story’s overall impact. Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery† contains symbolism to affect the readers’ feelings as well as add interest. The story begins with the villagers gathering at the square to participate in the lottery. The villagers chat while waiting for the event to begin. After Mr. Summers comes with a black box, he stirs the pieces of paper in the box. The narrators describe the lottery as an old ritual that the community continues