Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Specifically,

¶ … Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Specifically, it will critically interpret and analyze the story. The main theme of Jackson's story is pure evil - the evil that can lie underneath what seems to be normal, everyday family life. She makes this evil all the more frightening by juxtaposing it with a normal and common setting, a small town square that could be anywhere in America. The commonality of the situation makes the evil all the more frightening and memorable.

There is not one particular character in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" that embodies the theme of pure evil, unless it is the unnamed person who throws the first stone at her. This barbaric custom of sacrificing someone to ensure the village sees a good harvest is truly evil, and it represents the evil that can lie underneath the most commonplace of people and things. The victim, Tessie Hutchinson is representative of that evil, not only because of her death, but because she knows what will happen on the summer morning, but she goes along with everyone else until she is the one chosen. She represents how people will go along with evil in society, just as long as it does not touch them personally. She even urges her husband to "hurry" when he chooses the slip of paper, and then complains that he was "rushed" when it is revealed he has the marked slip. The characters, all the families, represent the evil that lies underneath the quaint appearance of this village, and indicate that people and places are not always how they appear on the outside.

The setting of this story is quite relevant to the theme, because on the outside, this seems like it could be any small, rural town in America. The story opens, "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green" (Jackson). It seems like any beautiful summer day in America, but it is not. Hidden under the friendly banter and the hint of Americana, there is something terribly wrong in this village. It is evil that they should carry out such a barbaric custom, and even more evil that no one attempts to do anything about it. In only a few short opening sentences, Jackson indicates this is a small town like many others. She writes, "The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank" (Jackson). This could be a 4th of July celebration, an evening band concert, or a summer picnic, but it is not. The tradition has been handed down, just like so many other traditions and customs in America. We celebrate the 4th of July with parades and fireworks. We celebrate Labor Day with picnics and camp-outs. We celebrate Christmas with family, big meals, presents, and Christmas trees. These are all traditions handed down in the country, and in families. The "lottery" is no different; it is simply a long-lost custom that people still hang on to for some reason. It is tradition. It is also evil, and it makes the reader stop and think - what else do we take for granted in society that has evil roots and implications?

Symbolism is important, even vital, in this story, but the symbolism is not of evil, it is of calm normalcy, which makes the outcome even more evil. The town and the people are just like "you and me," and Jackson strives to make them appear that way, from the way the men talk about " planting and rain, tractors and taxes" (Jackson), to the way Mrs. Hutchinson hurries up late, wiping her hands on her apron after doing a batch of dishes. These people could be our neighbors, our friends, even our families. They are "normal" people in a small town, going about their everyday lives. This symbolism of normalcy is extremely important to the story, because it creates a false sense of security surrounding the town and in the reader. Surely, nothing bad could happen in this bucolic small town. However, something bad does happen, and the normalcy and serenity of the town makes it all the more appalling. These people could be your neighbors or friends, and that is frightening.

Evil pervades the story's last few lines, when the townspeople surround Tessie and stone her to death. She appeals to their common sense, but they are beyond that now. Pushed on by tradition and culture, they turn into animals, and turn a pastoral small village into a hateful and evil place in the name of customs. Jackson is showing that many facets of our everyday society could be seen as evil, too, from the way we look down on people of other races and cultures, to the way one religion is extremely intolerant of another, or the way rival gangs destroy each other on city streets. All of these things exist in our society, just as this custom existed in Jackson's society. Thus, evil exists in every society, and every society makes "sacrifices" like Tessie Hutchinson. It may not be the same as the lottery, but society does sacrifice its' youth to gangs, its' elderly to be forgotten in nursing homes, and its' middle age to striving for possessions and money above all else. These things appear evil to many, and to many other societies, and so, Jackson seems to be saying, just as the Bible says, that before anyone casts that "first stone," they had better take a good look in the mirror.