Blind adherence to traditions in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

Dossier / Travail , 2014 , 12 Pages , Note: 1,7

Philologie Anglaise - Littérature

The Lottery, written by Shirley Jackson, published in 1948, is a prime example for a society that blindly follows an outdated and harmful tradition without questioning it. Usually, winning the lottery implies that one participant gets rewarded, but in Shirley Jackson’s short story, winning The Lottery means getting stoned to death by the other participants, that is, by their neighbours, friends and even own family members.
My claim is that traditions which have lost their meaning and are followed blindly can cause otherwise normal people to act abnormally without thinking. Thus, the human nature is not inherently violent, but it is the unthinking adherence to their tradition which is the primary cause of their violence and cruelty. After all, groups of people can easily influence human nature as well as their distinction of good and evil provided that the people uncritically follow a tradition which they do not consider as a barbaric event, but as a normal civic event taking place annually.
My aim is to examine, in a close reading, the effects of blind adherence to traditions on the characters’ behaviour in the story. In order to this, I will verify the point that the villagers blindly follow their tradition, although they have forgotten its origin significance. Afterwards, I will analyze in how far human nature plays a role when it comes to act brutally and evil, as every villager participates in the murder after all. I finally want to focus on the children’s behaviour in order to demonstrate that there is still hope for villagers of breaking with their barbaric tradition. In order to fully understand the theme, it is important to know what the short story is about, how it develops towards the end and who the main characters are that will be addressed in

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Lottery: Summary
• The Meaning Of Tradition
• Blindly Following A Forgotten Tradition
• Human Nature In The Context Of Tradition
• Children As A Bearer Of Hope
• Conclusion
• Works Cited

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the effects of blind adherence to traditions on the characters' behaviour in Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery." It aims to demonstrate how a tradition, even when its original meaning is lost, can influence people to act in ways that are contrary to their usual nature. The paper will analyze the villagers' blind following of the tradition, the role of human nature in their brutal actions, and the potential for hope in the children's behaviour.

• The impact of tradition on individual behaviour
• The dangers of blindly following outdated traditions
• The role of human nature in violence and cruelty
• The potential for hope in breaking with harmful traditions
• The importance of questioning and critically examining traditions

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The paper begins with an introduction that sets the context for the analysis of "The Lottery." It discusses the importance of traditions in shaping values and behaviour, but also highlights the potential dangers of blindly following outdated traditions. The introduction establishes the main argument of the paper: that the villagers' violence in "The Lottery" is not a result of inherent human nature, but rather a consequence of their uncritical adherence to a tradition that has lost its meaning.

The second chapter provides a summary of "The Lottery," outlining the events of the story and introducing the main characters. The summary focuses on the villagers' participation in the lottery, the selection of Mrs. Hutchinson as the winner, and the subsequent stoning. It highlights the ritualistic nature of the event and the villagers' unquestioning acceptance of it.

The third chapter delves into the meaning of tradition, providing a definition and exploring the different perspectives on its role in society. It discusses the transmission of traditions from one generation to the next and the potential for traditions to become outdated or even harmful. The chapter connects these ideas to "The Lottery," arguing that the villagers' tradition has lost its original significance and has become a source of violence and cruelty.

The fourth chapter examines the villagers' blind adherence to the tradition, highlighting the fact that they have forgotten its original meaning and continue to participate in it without questioning its validity. The chapter analyzes the villagers' lack of critical thinking and their willingness to follow tradition even when it contradicts their own values and morals.

The fifth chapter explores the role of human nature in the villagers' actions. It argues that the villagers' violence is not a result of inherent human nature, but rather a consequence of their uncritical adherence to tradition. The chapter examines the influence of group dynamics and social pressure on individual behaviour, suggesting that the villagers' actions are a product of their social conditioning rather than their innate nature.

The sixth chapter focuses on the children's behaviour in the story, suggesting that they represent a potential for hope in breaking with the tradition. The chapter analyzes the children's participation in the stoning and their apparent acceptance of the tradition, but also highlights their potential for questioning and change.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The keywords and focus themes of the text include tradition, blind adherence, human nature, violence, cruelty, "The Lottery," Shirley Jackson, social conditioning, and hope. The paper explores the impact of tradition on individual behaviour, the dangers of blindly following outdated traditions, and the potential for hope in breaking with harmful traditions. It also examines the role of human nature in violence and cruelty, arguing that these behaviours are not inherent but rather a product of social conditioning.

• Université: University of Osnabrück
• Note: 1,7
• Auteur: Ahmet Yildirim (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2014
• Pages: 12
• N° de catalogue: V284052
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656845454
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656845461
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: blind, lottery, shirley, jackson