The Lottery, written by Shirley Jackson, published in 1948, is a prime example for a society that blindly follows an outdated and harmful tradition without questioning it. Usually, winning the lottery implies that one participant gets rewarded, but in Shirley Jackson’s short story, winning The Lottery means getting stoned to death by the other participants, that is, by their neighbours, friends and even own family members.
My claim is that traditions which have lost their meaning and are followed blindly can cause otherwise normal people to act abnormally without thinking. Thus, the human nature is not inherently violent, but it is the unthinking adherence to their tradition which is the primary cause of their violence and cruelty. After all, groups of people can easily influence human nature as well as their distinction of good and evil provided that the people uncritically follow a tradition which they do not consider as a barbaric event, but as a normal civic event taking place annually.
My aim is to examine, in a close reading, the effects of blind adherence to traditions on the characters’ behaviour in the story. In order to this, I will verify the point that the villagers blindly follow their tradition, although they have forgotten its origin significance. Afterwards, I will analyze in how far human nature plays a role when it comes to act brutally and evil, as every villager participates in the murder after all. I finally want to focus on the children’s behaviour in order to demonstrate that there is still hope for villagers of breaking with their barbaric tradition. In order to fully understand the theme, it is important to know what the short story is about, how it develops towards the end and who the main characters are that will be addressed in
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Lottery: Summary
- The Meaning Of Tradition
- Blindly Following A Forgotten Tradition
- Human Nature In The Context Of Tradition
- Children As A Bearer Of Hope
- Conclusion
- Works Cited
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to explore the effects of blind adherence to tradition on the characters' behavior in Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery." The author examines how the villagers blindly follow a tradition that has lost its original significance, resulting in violent and cruel actions. The paper also analyzes the role of human nature in this context, highlighting how individuals can be influenced by group dynamics and uncritically accepted traditions.
- The impact of tradition on behavior
- The dangers of blindly following traditions
- The role of human nature in perpetuating violence
- The significance of individual questioning and critical thinking
- The potential for hope and change within a tradition-bound society
Chapter Summaries
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of tradition and its potential for both enrichment and harm. It establishes the importance of critical thinking and questioning established practices, using "The Lottery" as a prime example of a society blindly adhering to an outdated and harmful tradition.
- The Lottery: Summary: This chapter provides a brief summary of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," highlighting the annual ritual in which a villager is chosen at random and stoned to death by the community.
- The meaning of tradition: This chapter defines the term "tradition" and explores various perspectives on its origins and impact on society. It examines how tradition can be both a force for stability and a source of blind obedience, leading to the potential for harmful practices.
- Blindly following a forgotten tradition: This chapter analyzes how the villagers in "The Lottery" continue to follow a tradition despite its lost meaning and the violence it perpetuates. It explores the psychological and social factors that contribute to this blind adherence.
Keywords
Key words and focus topics of this text include tradition, blind adherence, human nature, violence, critical thinking, hope, and the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The text explores the complex interplay of these concepts, examining the consequences of unquestioningly following traditions and the potential for individuals to challenge and change established practices.
- Quote paper
- Ahmet Yildirim (Author), 2014, Blind adherence to traditions in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/284052
