What is the central theme of "The Lottery"?

Another central idea or theme of "The Lottery" is that of gender roles. Specifically, Jackson highlights the different view and treatment of men and women. In the second paragraph, for example, you'll notice that the boys are the first to gather piles of stones while the girls are sidelined, talking amongst themselves. The boys, therefore, are subtly characterized as the natural leaders and organizers of this ritual.

In addition, when Mrs. Dunbar volunteers to draw for her husband, Mr. Summers asks if she has a boy to do it for her. In this society, then, young boys are valued more highly than adult women, which is symptomatic of a deep-rooted sense of patriarchy.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this theme is the fact that the winner of the lottery is Tessie Hutchinson. Notice how Tessie is characterized in the story. She is late, for example, and heartily complains about being the winner. By making Tessie the scapegoat of this story, Jackson makes a wider point about the treatment of women in society—particularly those who dare to speak out against patriarchal traditions.

The fact that Tessie is powerless to stop herself from being stoned is also important because it suggests that women will never have the same power or influence as their male counterparts.

What is the central theme of "The Lottery"?

Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" tells a simple story about a town's annual lottery.  However, as the reader continues, they soon see that this is not a typical lottery and it's "winner" gets more than they bargained for.

Jackson has the unnamed narrator quote people in the town who don't remember exactly why the town still has a lottery as well as people who grow quite upset when they hear of other towns discontinuing their lotteries.

This dichotomy between the young and old members of the town shows Jackson's theme that people should beware of following traditions without understand the reasoning behind them.

There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here. Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done.

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.

The box used for the lottery is not the original box but the second one.  It is shabby and falling apart, but the town is afraid to move away from the traditions, much in the same way the town will not move away from the tradition of the lottery itself.

What is the central theme of "The Lottery"?

The point of the story depends on who you would like the point to be applied to.  What is the point of the lottery for the characters in the story?  What is the point of "The Lottery" as a story to the reader?

For the characters in the story, the lottery is a system of control over a population of people.  The rules of the lottery are simple.  Each family draws cards.  Whatever family is chosen then chooses more cards to determine which person will be stoned to death.  The people blindly comply to it, because it is a rule of their society.  Rules must be followed, because the people think the same way that Old Man Warner does.  When it is mentioned that other places have quit the lottery, he states: 

"Nothing but trouble in that," Old Man Warner said stoutly. "Pack of young fools."

Most of the people feel the same way.  The rules are there for a reason, and it's more trouble than it is worth to do anything else.  Going with that logic, "The Lottery" is no different than how "The Hunger Games" begins.  There is a lottery to see which kid will likely be killed. The point is, follow the rules, because those are the rules.  

The point of the story as a whole to the reader though is a warning against blindly following rules.  The lottery system seems stupid to the reader only because most readers would question the law in the first place.  What Jackson illustrates in her story is what happens to people and a society when they stop critically thinking about the rules being enforced over them.  

What are the theme and purpose of "The Lottery"?

There is no definitive answer for the theme of any short story, including "The Lottery."  Some short stories have several themes.  In the case of this piece of literature, one of the common interpretations of theme is "Don't be afraid to question tradition."  Other suggestion I have encountered when teaching this particular work are "Don't be afraid of change" and "Think for yourself." Ask yourself what the author is trying to tell you in this story; your answer will probably be your idea of the theme.

There are three main categories of purpose when it comes to literature:  inform, entertain, and persuade.  In "The Lottery," Jackson is not attempting to inform the reader; this is a work of fiction, not fact.  This is also not a persuasive piece, although authors of fiction do often attempt to reveal to the reader some deep thought (that's where theme comes in!).  Ruling out two of the categories of purpose leaves us with "entertain," which is what this story is primarily intended to do.

What are the theme and purpose of "The Lottery"?

An author's purpose in writing a story is generally expressed in the theme.  In this case, Shirley Jackson wrote "The Lottery" in order to express the theme of mindless adherence to tradition.  Let's face it.  The only reason this town continues to conduct a lottery is because they've always done it.  Other towns have done away with the practice--much to the dismay of the old-timers in town such as Old Man Warner--so we know it can be done.  At one time, perhaps, the lottery was somehow connected to a fertility ritual, sacrificing to the gods in hopes of finding favor for the crops or the town or whatever.  Now, though, the practice is senseless and even barbaric.  Why do they continue to do it, then?  Because they always have.  Oh, it's changed some over the years--they use paper instead of wood chips, and many of the rituals connected to the event have been lost; at its core, though, though, this is the mindless, unthinking, unquestioning repetition of what has always been done.  The question Jackson clearly asks is whether we have any mindless traditions which we adhere to without rhyme or reason, and is that a good thing. 

When I teach "The Lottery," I'm always reminded of the story about a mom who was preparing a roast for dinner.  She would always cut the ends off the roast, and today her daughter asked her why she did that.  The mother said she did it because that's the way her grandmother always prepared her roasts.  Later, the young girl asked the grandmother why she cut the ends off the roast before putting it in the oven, and her answer was simple:  "Because it wouldn't fit in the pan."  All these years of cutting the ends off the roasts for no good reason.  What a waste.  And that's the point.

There's more, as this is a complex story, but this is the primary theme the way I see it. I've also attached an excellent e-notes summary of themes site below for some further insights on this story.

What is the theme of "The Lottery"?

The primary theme of Shirley Jackson's celebrated short story "The Lottery" concerns the dangers of blindly following tradition. In the story, the nondescript rural town routinely carries out the brutal tradition of the lottery every June. During the ritual, a defenseless citizen is randomly selected and stoned to death by the entire community. Despite the brutality of the lottery, the citizens adhere to the senseless ritual because it is a tradition. Even the origins of the lottery are based on antiquated superstitious beliefs, which only emphasizes the illogical nature of the tradition.

Jackson highlights the community's willingness to follow the tradition by characterizing certain citizens as narrow-minded proponents of the lottery. For example, Old Man Warner embodies the community's superstitious perception of the lottery and fear of abandoning the savage tradition by criticizing the progressive northern villages for ending the lottery. Old Man Warner goes on to tell Mr. Adams,

Pack of crazy fools...Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. (Jackson, 4).

The only outspoken citizen who challenges the lottery is Tessie Hutchinson, and she tragically becomes the community's scapegoat. Once Bill Hutchinson draws the slip of paper with the black spot on it, Tessie protests but is immediately silenced by her husband and neighbors. Mrs. Delacroix instructs Tessie to "be a good sport," Bill tells his wife to "Shut up," and Mrs. Graves reminds her that everyone took the same chance.

Their reactions further solidify Jackson's theme as they proceed to stone Tessie Hutchinson to death in the middle of the town square. Overall, the citizens's adherence to the lottery and acceptance of the jarring violence associated with the senseless ritual reveals the dangers of blindly following tradition.

What is the theme of "The Lottery"?

One of the main themes in "The Lottery" is the cult of tradition. People do things out of habit on a daily and even yearly basis. Habits become rituals which can become traditions. When social institutions (such as a church, government, or company) establish traditions, they become rituals. After so much time has passed, people find it difficult to part with tradition, no matter what it is.

There are whispers in the crowd from people who've heard that other towns are no longer doing the lottery. Of course, the oldest villager, Old Man Warner, the one most steeped in tradition (and a stubborn lack of common sense and morality), scoffs at the idea of no lottery.

"Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added petulantly.

Old Man Warner never gives a reason why the lottery is performed. He just says it's always been. In this case, a tradition such as this ritual is not performed to honor a worthwhile historical event or some cultural figure. For these people, the ritual is done for its own sake. It is a mindless adherence to a ritual and it is a cult of tradition.

Some traditions should be celebrated. But traditions and rituals which do harm should obviously be dropped. This seems like an obvious point to make, but there are traditions and/or traditional beliefs today that some people think are harmful. For example, some people think that the "traditional" notion of marriage is between a man and a woman. However, many people believe that this tradition needs to change to include same sex marriages. Those who oppose same sex marriage use religious doctrine and procreation as their arguments, but they also tend to use the empty argument: "That's the way it's always been."

Here is another example. Some people think that the Confederate flag is offensive, but many southerners feel that it is part of their tradition.

What are the main points in "The Lottery"?

When "The Lottery" was published in 1948, just three years after the end of World War II, many subscribers to The New Yorker magazine sent letters of outrage and many canceled their subscriptions over what they considered an outrageous, vile story designed only to shock the reader. In fact, some readers thought the story was non-fiction and wondered where in the United States such a thing could be tolerated.

Eventually, the controversy died and readers began to understand the story's intent, which is twofold: first, the story examines the nature of tradition, especially a tradition that people follow blindly and fail to question; and, second, human beings are capable of the most horrific behavior.

At first glance, the lottery itself appears perfectly benign--it takes place on a beautiful summer day in a peaceful agricultural community and it is

conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.

The lottery, then, becomes just another in a long list of civic activities, all of which appear harmless and typical of a rural American community.

We are told, however, that "the original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago," and the only remaining vestige of the original lottery is a black box, which incorporates pieces of the box that came before. Although black is an ominous color, most readers would not perceive anything wrong at this point. The only conclusion an astute reader might make here is that these people are following an ancient tradition whose origins are lost to them.

After the drawing starts, we learn from Old Man Warner that there

Used to be saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.'

For some readers, this might trigger the association between this lottery and fertility rituals common among many ancient cultures in which some kind of sacrifice occurs. A feeling of uneasiness might settle on some readers at this point, especially if they recall that the young boys were collecting rocks at the beginning of the story.

Clearly, the people of this community are following a tradition whose origin they cannot remember, and Jackson's point here is that tradition itself can be dangerous if those who follow it do not even know why they still follow it. Coming on the heels of WWII, in which millions of people were killed by people either carrying out orders or acting on traditional racial biases, the story unmasks a terrible truth about human nature--we follow certain traditions without questioning those traditions.

Jackson's second main point, which becomes obvious as the stones begin to fly at Tess Hutchinson, is that human beings, under the wrong influence, can be brutal beyond measure. What seem to be average, well-meaning, loving people can turn into brutes when their behavior is governed by something other than what we now call a "moral compass." In other words, the act of following a tradition relieves people from exercising rational judgment.

"The Lottery" articulates two truths: following a tradition blindly may lead to disaster, and people, no matter how outwardly civilized, can become brutes. And it is clear that Jackson, in creating such a horrific story, was thinking about the brutality of WWII that corrupted many "civilized" people.

What are the main points in "The Lottery"?

The main point in "The Lottery" concerns the nature of tradition and how it affects generations of people. Since the titular Lottery has always been practiced, the townsfolk seem to consider it just a part of life, and expected instead of rationally considered.

All the characters expect the Lottery to be performed each year, and for the victim to submit to their ultimate fate. Despite Tessie Hutchinson's protests, she isn't fighting against the Lottery itself, but against her family being picked; if someone else had been picked, she would likely have reacted as all the others, taking part in the ritual stoning. In this sense, her protests are aimed directly at her role, which is expected from all the other townsfolk; since they believe that their collective well-being rests on the Lottery being performed correctly, for her to refuse her fate would be unthinkable. As Old Man Warner comments, "There's always been a lottery."

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

Shirley Jackson's story is connotative of the ancient practice of finding a scapegoat for the evil plaguing a community.  In this tradition, a goat was taken from the community, hopefully carrying the evil away with it, and it was tied out to die away from the community.  In Jackson's narrative, the meaning of the custom is forgotten but it is followed because, as Old Mr. Warner says, "There's always been a lottery." This unthinking practice of a custom, whether it be sensible or not, is what Shirley Jackson brings to question.

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

The story brings about questions regarding the historical use of human sacrifice in order to insure a good harvest. While practiced in the past, sacrifice has changed much over the years. While many cultures have forbidden the use of human life in sacrificial events, people can still relate to personal sacrifice for the greater good. I think the horror of sacrificing a life catches many off guard (especially since the idea of the lottery has changed so much).

The theme develops quickly. Many are caught off guard when Tessie is stoned to death. When I teach the story, my students are thinking money or trips will go to the winner.

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

To me, the sacrifice in "The Lottery" is rooted in ancient pagan rites in the period in which we believed that "the gods" could be placated with an offering, that blood spilled could increase the harvest, for example.  In fact, at least two major world religions, Judaism and Christianity, have themes of sacrifice in their texts, for example, Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, animals being sacrificed at the Temple, and Christ being a sacrifice for all mankind.  My guess is that this is a strong human impulse, a way of trying to impose some order on the universe through cause and effect, even when the results show no relationship.  This is, of course, just one theme in the story.  

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

The really sinister aspect of "The Lottery" is that the sacrifice is directed by the town's traditions: the drawing and the stoning.  Both these actions are steeped in the history of the town, and Jackson plays up the sort of legalism within the process: the careful marking of the slips and the continued use of the decrepit black box.  In the end, however, there is nothing redemptive or graceful about Tess's death; Jackson focuses on the brutality of the death, leaving out any mention of the improved quality of life that the villagers believe the sacrifice will bring.  Her omission makes Tess's death feel much more like a ritualistic murder. 

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

In "The Lottery" the town sanctions the sacrifice of one individual a year in order to keep the town in God's good graces. The fact that the sacrifice is conducted as a stoning connects the town to the ancient past, which helps enshroud the entire process in mystery and a sense of ancient evil in the modern world.

How is the theme of sacrifice developed in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

What are the themes and main point of "The Lottery"?

Follow the link below for an excellent explanation of the major themes involved in Shirley Jackson's short story.  One of the first themes to emerge from this story is the one of senseless violence.  There is no purpose in the villagers taking part in the lottery.  It isn't a lottery in the way we think of them today: as something in which to take part in order to have a chance of winning money or a prize.  The villagers in this story only continue to have the lottery because it is tradition which leads to another theme:  the utter pointlessness of following a tradition that no longer makes sense.  This also leads to another theme and that is one expressing mob mentality.  The people of the village have no quarrel with one another and certainly no quarrel with the woman whose name is drawn in the lottery, but they quickly and savagely turn on her as if she were a long-time enemy.

What themes are present in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

"The Lottery" deals with several important themes throughout the short story and offer Jackson's insight into the dangers of human nature.

1. The dangers of blindly following traditions or customs.

Numerous times throughout the story the narrator mentions that the people do not remember how the lottery began, that older people believe the lottery has changed over the years, and that people are eager to just get it over with with little ceremony or reflection.

When Mr. Summers brings out the black box for the lottery, the narrator mentions that though this is not the original box, it is old and Mr. Summers often hints that it should be replaced; however, the townspeople shy away from changing the box or anything having to do with the tradition of the lottery.

"no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box"

Old Man Warner and Mr. Adams discuss that some towns (and the younger people in them)  are contemplating doing away with the lottery.  The men criticize this idea and the break from tradition it represents.

"They do say," Mr. Adams said to Old Man Warner, who stood next to him, "that over in the north village they're talking of giving up the lottery."

Old Man Warner snorted. "Pack of crazy fools," he said. "Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live hat way for a while. Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added petulantly.

While no one wants to "win" this lottery, no one is willing to break the tradition of it.  Jackson cautions the reader to avoid being so blinded by traditions that they end up not understanding what they're doing or doing harm to others simply because it's always been done that way.  While the town embraces their 77 years of tradition, them overlook that it has resulted in 77 deaths.

2.  The violent and cruel nature of people.

One the reader realizes that the "winner" of the lottery is going to be stoned, they barely have time to recover before realizing that the town has qucikly begun gathering rocks, stones, and pebbles.  Though the town may not know how the lottery began, they know when to bring in the rocks.

Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground with the blowing scraps of paper that had come out of the box Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar.

Despite the pleas and cries of Mrs. Hutchinson, her friends and neighbors begin throwing the stones and rocks at her.  The most violent part was when the towns made sure that her youngest son, little Davey, also had stones (small pebbles) to throw at his mother.  The mob has abandoned a sense of right and wrong for their misguided traditions.  These are not criminals, but the upright people of the town murdering this woman, this mother, with rocks.

Jackson looks at the dangers of human violence especially in relation to mob mentality.