The Lottery

            
             The publication of Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery," resulted in quite a stir, upsetting many people. Many readers furious and stunned sent numerous letters of complaints and objections after the story was published in The New Yorker. "The Lottery" portrays the dark side of human nature. Jackson claims that she wrote the story primarily to illustrate an example that even ordinary individuals have the ability to do monstrous things. Circumstances, pressures from social groups, such as friends, family, or mere acquaintances can negatively affect people. Her story shows that an individual's violent, negative actions, which may be out of their normal behavior are often influenced, encouraged, or persuaded by pressures from some type of group relations. .
             "The Lottery" portrays life in a small town, where everyone knows everybody. Once a year the town folk gather in the town square for an unusual lottery-type drawing, in which everyone participates, but there is only one "winner". The "winner" of this particular drawing loses something, however - his life, which is quickly ended by stoning, in which everyone in town is participates. .
             Although much of the lottery tradition has been forgotten, the basics have remained the same. The lottery still takes place each year on the same day, June 27th; the slips of paper for the drawing are prepared the night before by the same man, Mr. Summers, who has been doing the lottery for years. Also, the drawing has always taken place in the morning in the town square (so that they could make it home for noon lunch). Many comment on how quickly the year has gone by, "Seems like there's no time at all between lotteries anymore. Seems like we got through with the last one only last week" (Jackson 350). The tradition is more memorable than the life of the person chosen for death; they simply forget the person who had been stoned and get on with their lives.