The "Lottery" is a short story written by Shirley Jackson, first published in 1948. The story takes place in a small town on a warm summer day, and follows the annual tradition of the lottery.
At the beginning of the story, the townspeople are gathering in the town square for the annual event. The mood is described as tense and expectant, as the townspeople chatter and catch up with one another while they wait for the lottery to begin. The narrator describes the rituals and traditions of the lottery, including the use of slips of paper with the names of all the families in the town written on them, and the black box that is used to draw the slips of paper.
As the lottery begins, the head of each family comes forward to draw a slip of paper from the black box. The slips are then checked to see if they are marked with a black dot, which indicates that the family has won the lottery. The winning family is then subjected to a violent and gruesome death, chosen by the townspeople.
As the lottery progresses, it becomes clear that the main character, Tessie Hutchinson, has won. Despite her pleas for mercy, the townspeople stone her to death as punishment for winning the lottery. The story ends with the townspeople returning to their daily lives, seemingly unaffected by the violent death of one of their own.
Throughout the story, Jackson uses symbolism and foreshadowing to create a sense of unease and foreboding. The black box, the slips of paper, and the violent nature of the punishment all serve to underscore the barbarity and brutality of the tradition. The story also highlights the dangers of blindly following tradition and the mob mentality that can arise in group situations.
Overall, "The Lottery" is a thought-provoking and disturbing story that challenges readers to consider the consequences of blindly following tradition and the dangers of mob mentality.
