Final writing test : Dec. 8th 2008

Formative work 3

Writing Journal

A short story by Shirley Jackson

published in 1948

The story takes place in a small American farming town.It shows contemporary life with a dark barbaric ritual that the small town performs known as "the lottery". The ritual takes place as a game. They assemble on June 27th of each year, each family draws a piece of paper , one of them has a black spot on it which means that the person in the piece of paper with the black spot on it again shall be stoned, as per tradition. The villagers perform this because since they can allremember ,because it should guaranty a good harvest that is soon to come. Who would it be this time? No one new. That year it was Mrs. Hutchinson-a simple woman-whom never saw it coming. They never think it will be them. Even her children and husband participated in her stoning. How could they do that to her?

I couldn't help wondering if Mrs. Hutchinson's family care more about the "tradition" then there mother and wife, and how could they just murder her without remorse or a second thought? Did they justify their actions by telling themselves ; "We have always done as such, and everyone always participates!" Maybe they decided that tradition and common well being is more important than an individual life, or could it just be generational brain washing?

Some points of view explain that the whole story is a metaphor for the author's , Shirley Jackson, own life in which she considered herself as an outsider. I considered this point of view and realized that symbolism is scattered threw out the story. For instance ; the man in charge of the ritual is Mr. Summers, the season in which the ritual takes place, and he is described as a jovial man,strange for the leader of such a dark ritual. Also, there is the name of the postman ,who helps during the precedure; Mr. Graves, a dark name which seems to underline a pending death.

In conclusion, Shirley Jacksonshows us a fictional story with realistic judgment of todays society. I interpret it as a vulgurization of the way silly outdated traditions, rituals, and beliefs, still control our lives, although they are obviosly either wrong or inapplicable in modern times. Perhaps the author was just frustrated with society or her externalized life or just wanted to "stir up" peoples thoughts for once. I shall never really know what she wanted to state, I guess. All I can say is that I enjoyed Shirley Jackon's short, and disturbing story.

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