Rituals and Traditions in Jackson’ “The Lottery”
Rituals and Traditions are often used in society for social cohesion but can act as
mechanisms of control that can perpetuate harm. In “The Lottery” By Shirley Jackson and “The
Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” By Ursula K. Leguin, both authors describe Blind
Adherence to ritualistic practices that condone violence and oppression contrary to unity and
justice using Symbolism and Irony such as the black box along with the community in “The
Lottery” and the suffering child in “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
The first symbol in “The Lottery” is the black box. It serves as a powerful symbol that
represents that rituals persist even after all its meaning has been forgotten. The people of the
village treat the black box with great respect despite of the condition it’s described as, “The
black box grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered
badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained.”
(Jackson 136) empathizing how the community clings onto the past without questioning its
morality or relevance to present tense making it untouchable. The black box reflects the dangers
of tradition that are followed casually and precisely, as the box ultimately carries out the stoning
of an innocent person. It serves as a reminder that traditions are preserved not for its use but for
the sake of conformity, no matter how harmful the consequences are.
Similarly in “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, the suffering child locked in the
basement is a powerful symbol of the moral cost of societal peace and happiness. The child who
is necessary for utopia prosperity is a representation of the hidden oppression that contradicts the
city’s perfect demeanor. LeGuin writes, “It is so thin there are no calves to its legs; its belly
protrudes; it lives on a half-bowl of corn meal and grease a day. It is naked. Its buttocks and
thighs are a mass of festered sores, as it sits in its own excrement continually.” This image of its
physical and mental suffering reveals that the wellbeing of the people of Omela are tied to the
exploitation and neglect of the child. Much like the black box in “The Lottery” , the child is an
uncomfortable truth that the people of Omela have to accept or reject simply for the price of their
happiness. The second symbol in “The Lottery” are the stones they use to kill the winner of the
lottery. They symbolize how violence is normalized in a society that has desensitized itself from
cruelty. The people of the village are willing to carry stones to carry out the ritual without
questioning it. Using an object such as stones represents the brutality of the act itself since it
contradicts the representation of a stone, mundane. Not only does it represent violence but
dehumanization of the victim. When they are picked as the winner, they are no longer seen as an
individual with rights or dignity but moreover a target, an object..a sacrifice for the greater good
of the community. “Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’”
empathizing that the people of the village don’t see this as murder but as a necessary and natural
ritual as a sacrifice. This process of objectifying allows the violence to be carried out without
direct confrontation with its moral implications making it easier to carry out for everyone in the
town.
Similarly, both Jackson and Leguin make readers confront the unsettling reality of what
the individuals and societies are willing to preserve peace, along with the sacrifices made for
their happiness. This interferes with the cost of unity. Many citizens in “The Ones Who Walk
Away from Omelas” must confront their decision to accept this injustice so the people who do
walk away from Omelas as the name states symbolize a rejection of societal norms at great
personal cost because Omelas is described as “In the silence of the broad green meadows one
could hear the music winding through the city streets, farther and nearer and ever approaching, a
cheerful faint sweetness of the air.” (LeGuin 141) It is a happy scenario so why would anyone
want to leave? As we learn that injustice is happening within Omela, the people who walk away
demonstrate the possibility of maintaining personal integrity and their morals. Although their
departure from Omela won’t change the outcome of the suffering child, it is still seen as a
powerful symbol since they are challenging a city that lives off of the exploitation of this child.
However, Shirley Jackson deepens her evaluation of blind adherence in ritualistic
practices through Irony, using unexpected contrasts and contradictions such as the title “The
Lottery” and the setting. “Showing the peaceful, pastoral setting, of happy children and friendly
villagers assembling for what we had supposed to be a happy event makes the shock of the
violent ending more profound.” (Bogert 46) As the name “The Lottery” stands you’d expect it to
be associated with something positive or exciting especially when the community is perceived as
content and united. It’s an opportunity of winning a reward of some sort. In contrast, Shirley
Jackson’s “The Lottery” subverts these expectations because the people of the town are met with
punishment instead. This unexpected outcome empathizes with the story’s ironic and unsettling
tone.
In addition, Shirley Jackson distinctively implements her characters to heighten the
story’s irony, exposing the contradictions as well with their behaviors and attitude, and even their
names. During the first read, when we are first introduced to the character “Mr.Graves” we think
nothing of it until you realize what “The lottery” really is about. The name “Mr.Graves” carries
significance as it foreshadows the deadly outcome of the story and where the victims will end up
contrasting his ordinary role in the community. Along with Mr.Graves, the character named
“Delacroix” translates to “of the cross” in french, a term associated with christian values such as
sacrifice and redemption, compassion. However, Delacroix doesn’t showcase any of these
characteristics. Instead she eagerly participated in the stoning of Tessie Hutchinson, showing
complete lack of compassion or moral reflection. The name also subtly mocks the idea of just a
“sacrifice” But in Christianity it’s supposed to be meaningful unlike for the sake of the lottery
it’s senseless and perpetuated only for the sake of tradition. Jacksons highlights the harshness in
societal rituals and ethical values, empathizing with the blind adherence to tradition showcased
in the story.
Furthermore, the irony of the community participation in the violent tradition lies within
the participation of every individual and their roles in the ritual. This way no one feels personally
responsible for the act of violence. The townspeople, family members, and close friends all
eagerly participate in the stoning of Tessie Hutchinson, yet each person justifies their actions for
the sake of tradition. “The children had stones already. And someone gave little Davy
Hutchinson few pebbles.” (Jackson 140) The collective participation creates a sense of shared
responsibility so when you’re raised in a community that is defined by this tradition, it is easy to
start participating in it even if it’s your own mother. It is the true definition of blind adherence in
a community. The act itself becomes a normal part of their everyday lives. Irony lies in the fact
that the more people participate, the less guilt anyone feels.
In conclusion, both “The Lottery” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
powerfully illustrates how blind adherence to societal rituals and traditions can lead to a moral
dilemma. Through Irony and symbolism both authors expose the dangerous consequences of
unquestioned traditions. By examining both stories, we are prompted to consider the moral cost
of situations we participate in and the individual choices we make in the face of injustice,
challenging us to confront our roles in systems that are doing harm because authors Shirley
Jackson and Ursula K. Leguin highlight how individuals become complicit in harmful systems
simply by being in a larger community participating in traditions or rituals.
Works Cited
Bogert, Edna. “Censorship and “the Lottery.”” The English Journal, vol. 74, no. 1, Jan.
1985, p. 45, https://doi.org/10.2307/816508. Accessed 21 May 2020.
Jackson, Shirley. The Lottery. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1948.
Le Guin, Ursula K. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas : A Story. 1973. [New York],
Harper Perennial, HarperCollins, 2017.
