inane manner, but "This is how we have been doing it for six generations, and we are not about to stop now. My Daddy did it this way" and so on.

In another example, politically, people tend to be sheep in their behavior. For instance, people who are in unions will vote as the union bosses tell them regardless of the fact that the candidate who supports the union may be completely against the beliefs of the person in other areas. Or people who have always voted a certain party will not change in their voting despite the fact that their beliefs in other things may not be in accord with the party lines now. 

In another vein, the innate sadism and pleasure in violence in humans is also depicted in "The Lottery"--certainly something to shock people into understanding the proclivity for cruel acts. That the children eagerly pile up stones in anticipation of their sadistic pleasure, and that Mrs. Delacroix picks up a rock she can barely carry shows her despicably violent character because she has only moments before talked with Tessie Hutchinson and then she is ready to drop a virtual boulder on her.

"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story often assigned in high school or college. If one has not read it and is headed to college, it should be read as one of a group of classics with which college students should be familiar.

Beyond that, the story is an engaging one that should be read just for its thought provoking situations and societal connections. Interesting, in depth conversations are promoted by the subject of the story, which is another reason it is a worthy read.

Specifically, the story promotes thinking about individuality, free will and group dynamics. The storyline is simple and the text an easy read, yet the plot stirs strong emotions and conversations. In the story, a small, typical American town is about to have an annual event called "The Lottery" during which through drawings and elimination, one person is chosen to be stoned to death. Clearly some members of the town are uncomfortable with this, yet they go right along with the crowd, committing the crime of stoning to death an innocent woman seemingly because that's just the way the tradition works. The death supposedly brings good luck to the village or town in which the act took place.

Along with conversations about free will and group dynamics, the story also promotes thoughts about the value of rituals in small town America. When it was published, there was outcry and anger because it seemed to be a critical commentary on small town life.

Personally, no, I would not recommend "The Lottery" as good reading. It is not "good reading" in the sense that it is uplifting, pleasurable, entertaining, or well written (apologies, all). I might recommend it as adequately composed instructional reading to an adult who needs to understand the dehumanizing quality of the practice of following blindly held beliefs and ideas.

I, and my students, love reading The Lottery.  Before reading, we talk about tradition, sacrifice, and community.  I remove the ending of the story, stopping at: "All right, folks." Mr. Summers said. "Let's finish quickly."  I then have the students write an ending to the story.  After, I read the true end and, well, lets say all h..ll erupts.  Students are typically flabbergasted at the ending, but then I turn the story back to its themes: tradition, sacrifice, and community.  At the end, they understand.  Our favorite part is reenacting the lottery.  We form families, name the families, decide ages, and then draw from THE BOX.  I can promise you, this is one of those stories that students remember.

I do recommend "The Lottery" as a fine piece of literature. I have limited time in the classroom, so I only want to teach the works I think are most significant and impactful. This short story is both. It is a jumping-off place for all kinds of discussion points, it has something meaningful to say, and it is memorable. That makes it a strong and admirable piece of writing.

This story is one of the best -- the slow build to what you first assume is a good thing -- being a lottery winner! -- and  thenthe impact of that sentence at the end where the first stone hits Tess upside the head!!  Then the horror at your sudden realization as what is happening.  It makes you immediately go back for a second read as you ask yourself, "how did I miss that?"  And then see what a masterful job Jackson does of pacing, plotting, and suggesting, without giving anything away.

I remember when I first read Jackson's "The Lottery."  It was in my 10th grade English book.  As my class was ponderously reading Julius Caesar aloud, I flipped to the short story.  I was thoroughly engrossed, and totally taken in by the surprise ending.  All students seem to enjoy this story--whether they are high or low level, whether they are ninth or twelfth graders.  Jackson does an excellent job of creating suspense, and the ending provides much food for discussion.  Her "Charles" is another winner.

Yes, I would recommend this story especially for someone who is in a situation in which either tradition, costume, peer pressure, or family pressure are making them commit acts that go against their own ideals.

This is a good story in that it realistically exposes the levels of weakness of people when they are unable to take charge of their own destinies and allow others to take the lead.

Imagine being so brainwashed that you relinquish all human responsibility towards others? How do you get yourself away from that situation? Where is the conscience of the people? These are things one has to consider when reading the story, and that is why it is a great read.

Up until the last few paragraphs Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" seems to be a realistic story about quiet and quaint small-town life. Probably on rereading one notices that, despite all the realism, the time and the place are never specified; one may feel he or she is reading about a twentieth-century New England town. On rereading,too, one may pay more attention to the early references to stones, and to the general nervousness, and of course one sees the importance of Tessie Hutchinson’s  questioning not of the stoning of herself but in the rules of the contest that they weren't exactly fair, as the conclusion becomes all too real. The story is clever, a carefully tense thriller,but whether it is an allegory—something about the cruelty of humanity, a cruelty that is invisible to us because it is justified by tradition—is a matter that may be debated, for no one questions the shrinking number of townspeople, the only activity is to maintain it. The character names are famously and obviously significant: the ritual is presided over by Mr. Summers, the first man to draw a lot is Mr. Adams, and conservative warnings are uttered by Mr. Warner. The leaders of the attack on Mrs. Hutchinson are Adams (the first sinner) and Graves (the result of sin was death). These are very reasonable conclusions. I recommend it for anyone that has time to read a quick and fantastic short story.