Inhumanity Through Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson
"First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." Pastor Martin Niemöller's peom is about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to authority and the subsequent removal of the Nazi's selected oppositions. Niemöller blamed the apathy of the intellectual community for the rise of the most evil regime in human history, responsible for one the largest instances of genocide ever. Inactivity of the same variety occurs in Shirley Jackson's, The Lottery, where a sadistic annual ritual is performed every year. A lottery takes place where the individual chosen is stoned to death to ensure a bountiful harvest for their village. This ritual takes place in a village with ordinary people, who like the Germans made no protests to their ventures of inhumanity and eventually became devoted to this depravity. In The Lottery, the misleading structure of the short story gives the impression that the lottery takes place in a sociable village by creating an ironically pleasant atmosphere, revealing the village's indifference. Mrs. Hutchinson's change in tone when contrasted with the tone of the other villagers reveals the extent of their apathy. Through the symbolism of this barbaric and savage ritual, the idea that a vicious malevolence may be lurking beneath even the most affable of people is suggested. In doing so the story implies that man's capacity for inhumanity flourishes as we permit moral indifference to take over.
The tranquil setting and cheerful atmosphere of the story is an ironic veneer that shrouds the indifference to the savagery of the lottery by creating a pleasant social atmosphere that is identifiable with the readers own. The story starts by establishing a warm and comfortable ambiance. On the morning of the 27th of June, the day of the lottery, it is "clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green" (Jackson 293). The setting is picturesque in its natural vitality and warmth. This description creates an ideal environment that connotes happiness and optimism by incorporating imagery associated with the fertility and warmth of the summer months. Ironically, it produces a false sense of security for the reader that makes the revelation of the nature of the lottery so disconcerting. This deceiving impression is further developed through the story by the jovial attitude of the community toward the lottery. The "boisterous play" (Jackson 293) of the children, the "bits of gossip" (Jackson 294) that are exchanged by the women and the typical conversation of "planting and rain, tractors and taxes" (Jackson 294) by the men gives the impression of a congenial social gathering to participate in a friendly annual tradition. The manner in which the lottery is conducted is even compared to "the square dances, the teen-age club [and] the Halloween program"(Jackson 294). The story utilizes this sociable environment to build an image that corresponds with how we view our society. The characters appear to be ordinary people; they engage in the same activities that any person in modern society would participate. Ironically the villagers are gathered to commit the sadistic act of a ritual stoning, as is revealed at the end of this short story. However due to the deceptive structure of the story the reader is led to believe that they are congregated to partake in some form of community function, where due to the buoyant attitudes of the inhabitants, they may possibly win a prize. The ability to relate to these characters due to their familiarity at the beginning of the story suggests the implication that anyone is capable of such perniciousness. It is appalling to view the indifference of the villagers, which is masked by their outward sociability.
"First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." Pastor Martin Niemöller's peom is about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to authority and the subsequent removal of the Nazi's selected oppositions. Niemöller blamed the apathy of the intellectual community for the rise of the most evil regime in human history, responsible for one the largest instances of genocide ever. Inactivity of the same variety occurs in Shirley Jackson's, The Lottery, where a sadistic annual ritual is performed every year. A lottery takes place where the individual chosen is stoned to death to ensure a bountiful harvest for their village. This ritual takes place in a village with ordinary people, who like the Germans made no protests to their ventures of inhumanity and eventually became devoted to this depravity. In The Lottery, the misleading structure of the short story gives the impression that the lottery takes place in a sociable village by creating an ironically pleasant atmosphere, revealing the village's indifference. Mrs. Hutchinson's change in tone when contrasted with the tone of the other villagers reveals the extent of their apathy. Through the symbolism of this barbaric and savage ritual, the idea that a vicious malevolence may be lurking beneath even the most affable of people is suggested. In doing so the story implies that man's capacity for inhumanity flourishes as we permit moral indifference to take over.
The tranquil setting and cheerful atmosphere of the story is an ironic veneer that shrouds the indifference to the savagery of the lottery by creating a pleasant social atmosphere that is identifiable with the readers own. The story starts by establishing a warm and comfortable ambiance. On the morning of the 27th of June, the day of the lottery, it is "clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green" (Jackson 293). The setting is picturesque in its natural vitality and warmth. This description creates an ideal environment that connotes happiness and optimism by incorporating imagery associated with the fertility and warmth of the summer months. Ironically, it produces a false sense of security for the reader that makes the revelation of the nature of the lottery so disconcerting. This deceiving impression is further developed through the story by the jovial attitude of the community toward the lottery. The "boisterous play" (Jackson 293) of the children, the "bits of gossip" (Jackson 294) that are exchanged by the women and the typical conversation of "planting and rain, tractors and taxes" (Jackson 294) by the men gives the impression of a congenial social gathering to participate in a friendly annual tradition. The manner in which the lottery is conducted is even compared to "the square dances, the teen-age club [and] the Halloween program"(Jackson 294). The story utilizes this sociable environment to build an image that corresponds with how we view our society. The characters appear to be ordinary people; they engage in the same activities that any person in modern society would participate. Ironically the villagers are gathered to commit the sadistic act of a ritual stoning, as is revealed at the end of this short story. However due to the deceptive structure of the story the reader is led to believe that they are congregated to partake in some form of community function, where due to the buoyant attitudes of the inhabitants, they may possibly win a prize. The ability to relate to these characters due to their familiarity at the beginning of the story suggests the implication that anyone is capable of such perniciousness. It is appalling to view the indifference of the villagers, which is masked by their outward sociability.
