The Lottery

            
             "The Lottery" is a story that appeals to the discriminating reader. The discriminating reader enjoys both types of literature, escape and interpretive. Escape literature can captivate a reader through the use of identifiable characters in unlikely circumstances. Escape literature often creates a happy mood when read and does not challenge the mind of the reader to create an opinion on the story's subject. Interpretive literature includes insight into the nature of human behavior. It can be accomplished through insights into what people do in certain situations and how you would react in similar ones.
             "The Lottery" begins with descriptive images of a summer morning. When the author writes,"the children gathered first" the reader becomes drawn in to wondering why the children are gathering. Possibly church or Sunday school. When "the great pile of stones" is mentioned it becomes less clear as to what these villagers are about to undertake. The story itself can be taken as escape literature because of the fact the story takes place in the era of North America being considered the new world.
             The interpretive aspect in "the Lottery" has many forms. When forced with the possibility of death, human nature in all its complexity comes down to one Basic urge, survival. When Tessie was in no danger she was gossiping with the other ladies and even encouraged her husband to draw when she says, "Get up there Bill". When Tessie wins or in hindsight loses the lottery, she pleads for another chance and screams for mercy. She demands that her daughters take their chances as well, which is indicative of regression toward our basic instinct of survival.
             In "the lottery" symbolism is used to show the hypocritical and pointless nature of humanity when it comes to sacrifice and violence. The blank papers floating in the wind symbolize the ease for which life can be taken away but also serves a further purpose.