Describe The Setting Using Specific Details From The Story ✓ Solved
Describe the setting, using specific details from the story
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is set in a small, seemingly idyllic village on a clear and sunny morning in June. The description of the day is vibrant, with flowers blossoming profusely and grass that is richly green, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and normality. The villagers begin gathering in the town square between the post office and the bank around ten o'clock, illustrating a communal spirit among the roughly three hundred residents as they assemble for a traditional event. Children are the first to arrive, exhibiting a mixture of excitement and restlessness, with boys engaging in playful activities like gathering stones, and girls standing apart, gossiping. The men discuss farming and local issues while the women exchange pleasantries, demonstrating a sense of belonging and routine within the community.
As Mr. Summers, the official of the lottery, prepares for the event, the atmosphere shifts from casual chatter to a deeper tension that lurks just beneath the surface of the villagers' everyday life. The black box used for the lottery, old and well-worn, symbolizes outdated traditions that are maintained despite the villagers' shifting attitudes towards them. The juxtaposition of the serene setting and the underlying dread associated with the lottery highlights the theme of conformity versus individual morality.
Feelings of the Townspeople Toward the Lottery
Initially, the townspeople exhibit a sense of resignation and muted acceptance towards the lottery. As they gather, conversations are casual, and there are moments of humor, indicating that they have normalized this ritual as part of their lives. However, under the surface, there is a palpable tension, especially as the lottery progresses; individual anxieties begin to manifest within the crowd. Most villagers seem to comply with the tradition, viewing it as a necessary part of their agricultural cycle — with Old Man Warner stating, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon,” reflecting the belief that the lottery brings prosperity.
Moreover, the casual manner in which people interact with the lottery raises questions about blind conformity. The laughter and joking initially present dissipate as people start to realize the implications of the lottery, particularly when Tessie Hutchinson becomes the focus of attention after her family draws the short straw. This illustrates that while there is a collective acceptance of the lottery practice, it is accompanied by underlying fear and anxiety concerning its consequences, revealing deep-seated societal pressures.
Evidence of the Lottery's Long Tradition
The lottery has a long-standing history in this village, as implied through various elements in the narrative. Firstly, it is mentioned that the original paraphernalia for the lottery have been lost, and the current black box has been in use even before the oldest villager, Old Man Warner, was born. This suggests that the event has been carried out for generations. There is also a reference to older villagers like Old Man Warner, who is dismissive of any changes and expresses disdain for those in other villages contemplating abandoning the lottery, saying, “Pack of crazy fools.” His staunch defense of the tradition illustrates the deep roots that the lottery has within the social fabric of the community.
Additionally, Mr. Summers's ritualistic approach to conducting the lottery, including the organized listing of households and the swearing-in process, demonstrates how the community has institutionalized this practice as part of their identity. The gradual decline of the original rituals, such as the forgotten tunes and sayings, hints at a cultural memory that has faded over time yet continues to be upheld without question.
Old Man Warner's Attitude
Old Man Warner's fervent support for the lottery reveals his deep-seated belief in tradition and resistance to change. He vehemently criticizes those who challenge the status quo, characterizing them as foolish and naive. For instance, when discussing other villages that have abandoned the lottery, he laments the “young folks” who are willing to discard traditions that have stood the test of time. His reaction underscores an ingrained societal view that values tradition over assessment of moral implications, suggesting that Old Man Warner represents the voice of the past, clinging to outdated rituals regardless of their relevance or morality in contemporary society.
How the Lottery Works
The process of the lottery is both organized and chillingly simple. Mr. Summers gathers the villagers and explains the procedure: heads of households must draw slips of paper from a black box, with the person drawing the marked slip facing dire consequences. The lottery begins with a listing of heads of families, followed by the men approaching the box to select a folded paper. The suspense builds as each participant returns to their spot in the crowd, and once all slips have been drawn, they open them simultaneously.
The tension escalates when the Hutchinson family draws the marked paper — Tessie protests that the process wasn't fair, which adds a layer of horror to the already unsettling proceedings. In this way, the lottery is portrayed not as a mere event but as a spectacle of despair, revealing the cruelty that can underlie societal norms. This mechanical process culminates in violence, which starkly contrasts with the idyllic setting and initial atmosphere among the villagers.
Misleading Nature of the Title
The title “The Lottery” is misleading as it evokes a sense of positive connotation typically associated with winning a prize. However, in this context, the lottery represents a brutal ritual leading to death, serving as a critique of blind adherence to tradition without questioning its morality. By using a familiar and reassuring term, Jackson tricks the readers, aligning them with the villagers' initial acceptance of the lottery while gradually unveiling its horrifying reality. This technique engages readers and prompts them to reflect on the nature of societal customs and the potential consequences of conformity.
References
- Jackson, S. (1948). The Lottery. The New Yorker.
- Bloom, H. (2007). Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. Chelsea House Publishing.
- Katz, P. (2013). Traditions in Social Psychology: The Legacy of Shirley Jackson. The International Review of Social Psychology.
- Dessens, L. (2015). The Horror of Shirley Jackson's Writing: Conveying Fear through Setting. Journal of Literature and Art Studies.
- Rosen, A. (2010). Dystopian Patterns in Everyday Life: A Study of the Lottery. Journal of American Literature.
- McGowan, T. (2005). The Ethics of Killing in Shirley Jackson's ‘The Lottery’. Ethics and Society.
- Hirsch, R. (2001). Community and Tradition: The Function of the Lottery in American Culture. Cultural Anthropology.
- Ravitch, D. (2019). The Politics of Ritual: Literature’s Role in Societal Norms. Social Theory.
- Smith, D. (2016). The Dark Side of Tradition: Rituals in Literature. Modern Fiction Studies.
- Wilks, E. (2017). Reading Resistance: Shirley Jackson and the Lottery. Contemporary American Literature Review.