A competition based on chance, in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes are awarded to the holders of numbers drawn at random; usually as a means of raising money for a public purpose.
One of the most significant themes in Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery is how people blindly follow outdated traditions and rituals. The story centers around a lottery, which is held every year in a small town where one person is selected at random and stoned to death. This is a horrific act that most people would find difficult to accept, yet the characters in the story continue to participate and even celebrate the event. The villagers’ actions demonstrate that it is not only easy to get caught up in tradition, but it can also be very dangerous.
In the story, the lottery is described as an old tradition in the community that goes back generations. In fact, it is stated that the present black box was made with some pieces of the box that came before it, which came from when the village first settled. The villagers are so used to this tradition that they do not question its validity, which is a major theme in the story. The villagers do not want to lose this tradition and they are afraid of losing their status in the community.
When examining the story, it is important to note how Jackson portrays the villagers. She does so in a way that shows their hypocrisy and evil nature. She describes how they congratulate each other and exchange gossip in the same breath as they are about to murder someone. She also points out how the women in the community are treated, showing that they are not seen as human.
The Lottery is a classic example of how state governments create policies that are at cross-purposes with the larger public interest. Lottery advertising necessarily focuses on persuading certain groups to spend their money, thereby diverting resources that could be better spent on things like education and poverty alleviation. And because state lotteries are largely run as businesses, they are often subject to the same kinds of profit-driven pressures that any other business might face.
Moreover, studies have shown that the popularity of state lotteries is not related to the objective fiscal condition of the state government. In fact, the opposite appears to be true: state lotteries tend to win widespread support even in good economic times. Lottery supporters frequently argue that the proceeds will be used for a public good, such as education. In most cases, though, these arguments are highly misleading. A large share of lottery revenues go to convenience store operators; suppliers (who contribute heavily to state political campaigns); teachers, in those states that earmark their revenues for this purpose; and other specific constituencies that have emerged as key lotteries’ main supporters. The evolution of state lotteries is a classic example of how policy decisions are made piecemeal and incrementally, without any general overview or oversight.