The Lottery

Sheep to the Slaughter

Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery”, challenges readers to look at the truth about humanity and its capacity to continue to follow unacceptable norms. A large number of people have lost their focus on humanity and are capable of throwing stones without realizing that they can personally end up in the spot where the stones are being thrown.  Tessie runs to the lottery and jokes about being late. Tessie was drawn to be stoned. Who protests the loudest? Tessie.  She even wanted to “start over” 295) because it wasn’t “fair” (295). So someone else can be the loser? The crowd is telling her to be a “good sport” (294). Her husband tells her to “shut up” (295).  Some of the villagers are questioning the need for lotteries saying, “over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery” (Jackson 294). The old man scoffs at the idea saying “there has always been a lottery” (294).  People walk around in denial of their own actions. The town people in the story have grown numb to the fact that they are killing someone and they are teaching the next generation to grow up with the same ignorance.  The people in Jackson’s story turned on a member of their community when less than a half and hour earlier they were talking with each other like civil citizens. There purpose? Because of crops? Because it’s always been that way?
In today’s American society we don’t physically throw stones. But laws are being passed every day for more restrictions put on the American people. If any government bureaucrat had to lose their home, live in the slums, or be uneducated they would know how much "the system" needs to change. If the leaders says we are to pay more taxes, put up with budget cuts, not really do anything about the real issues of humanity, then we have to do what the laws say. That’s just the way it is people say. People are still afraid to speak up and gather as a strong group and demand a better society.