Chance, fate, and social control in Borges' "The lottery in Babylon"

Borges' "The lottery in Babylon"

Jorge Luis Borges is a writer novelist who is known for using subjects that question God's existence and even the real essence of life. He is very creative and can use his write-ups in stirring the minds of all his readers.

With the stories or novels he has written, he is not only able to entertain his readers with his thoughts, but he is also able to create an image of life, doubt and/or understanding to all his readers.

The Lottery in Babylon" is among Borges' stories which he wrote in 1941 ("The Lottery in Babylon," 2006). From the beginning up to the very end, Borges' goal in writing the story is very evident. The story highlights two realities of life - that of the existence of God and the way people manage his/her own life.

The Lottery in Babylon" - an Analysis

Plot

Like all the men of Babylon, I have been proconsul; like all, I have been a slave. I have known omnipotence, ignominy, imprisonment..." (Collected Fictions, 1998)

The quote above is the opening statements of Borges' "The Lottery in Babylon." It can be noted that the story is in the first person point-of-view which shows that the person narrating the story is in fact part of what is really happing within the story. The above-quoted statement shows that the narrator is aware of what has been happening in the society. His awareness is brought by the fact that he is among the people. He has experienced what other people in that society has experienced. He has seen, felt, heard and lived like the common people.

Like the other people in his area, he has been a witness of how power and supremacy reigns. He, too, has been subjected to various pains, hurts and discomfort hence he knows exactly the feeling of embarrassment. Like any other people in the area, he has been a slave and has been imprisoned at one point of his life. His main point of stating this is because he wanted to point out that he understands the people because he can empathize with them. He is also implying that what is running inside the other's minds is also what is in his mind. He is part of the community where everybody experienced what others have experienced.

However, despite his understanding of the people, what the narrator could not fathom is the addiction of the community people to lottery. Based on the narrator's father's explanation, lottery is a game that the commoners used to play. But through time, more and more people have been enjoying such game in a way that even those in the middle and the upper social class are also playing lottery.

Lottery, as seen by the narrator's eyes, has undergone various evolutions. First, it was just like a very simple game played by the commoners.

Then, the number of people who loved playing it increases, hence the rules of the game was changed. At first, the lottery only involves rewards that would be received by, of course, the winner. But when the game was eventually changed, punishments and irrelevant rewards were introduced. When still more and more people continue playing the game, the rules regarding the people who could join the game also changed.

Another, whispered by masked heresiarchs, says that the Company has never existed, and never will. Another, no less despicable, argues that it makes no difference whether one affirms or denies the reality of the shadowy corporation, because Babylon is nothing but an infinite game of chance." (Collected Fictions, 1998)

The story ended with the above statement which shows that as time goes by coupled with the number of changes applied to the game of lottery, people started to doubt the existence of such game. Not only that, people themselves, who have initially established the game, are starting to question the real essence of such game in their lives.

Theme

Company = God

In the story the word Company has been mentioned particularly at the last two paragraphs. In this part, it has been stated that the company runs the lottery. It is the one who decides what to do with the winners and with the losers. It is the one who decides how to play the game.

The company is just a symbol for God. The narrator then is telling that as the people are so fond in taking chances, there is one God who sees to it all and decides on what's the best course of action and the best result for each and everyone. However, when the people starts questioning and doubting the efficacy of taking chances, this also shows that the people are doubting the capabilities of the Company (of God) to do His duties.

In the end, as the narrator states that "the Company never existed and never will" (Collected Fictions, 1998) this only shows that the narrator itself is, like the people, doubting if there really is a God that sees to everything. The people and the narrator then doubts if it right to continue playing with chances and to continue believing with God, even if they are not sure if God truly exists.

Conclusion

The Lottery in Babylon" is full of symbolism and metaphors. However, one thing is for sure, like most of the writings of Borges', this story talks about the people's way of life and the essence of believing to God. It is very evident in the story that the author has some apprehensions about they way people put faith in God and letting Him do all the works. Needless to say, Borges would like to point out that how can people trust God if nobody can even prove that he does exists.