Criticism Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

A New Historicist Criticism of “The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson’s (1948) “The Lottery” shows the dark side of human nature when exposed to a totalitarian rule. The characters within the text, especially the older, more traditional Old Man Warner, are against changing their dark traditions, because they have been a part of their lifestyle for so long (Jackson, 1948, p.460). The story is meant to be a warning against totalitarianism, as Jackson (1948) wrote it during World War II, when Germany was a totalitarian-led government. The characters’ actions in the story show how evil can take over good people when society enforces a certain way of thinking upon them. Jackson (1948) reflects the dictating rule of Germany during WWII and dons different

literary elements in “The Lottery” to demonstrate and warn against the evils of a totalitarian government, and to show the unwillingness of society to change when exposed to negative rituals for too long.
Analysis of the Elements of Fiction Within “The Lottery”
Winning the lottery is associated with the luck of the draw, and with the success of the person taking the chance. However, in “The Lottery,” the lottery is translates as ironic, because the “winner” in the story is stoned to death (Jackson, 1948, p. 462). Throughout the story, Jackson (1948) uses foreshadowing to reveal the ultimate death of the townsperson picked by the lottery. As the story begins, the children filled their pockets with “the smoothest and roundest stones,” which would later be used to kill Mrs. Hutchinson, the victor of the lottery (Jackson, 1948, p.457). As Mr. Graves carries a black box out in front of the crowd to Mr. Summers, a symbol of death is shown to the reader, which is apparent by the name “Graves” and by how the black box resembles a coffin (Jackson, 1948, p. 457). The black box/coffin holds the potential lottery winner, just like a coffin holds a deceased person (Jackson, 1948, p. 458). The townspeople show fear of the box and nervousness toward Mr. Summers, because they fear death, however society is unwilling to change or rebel against such a corrupt ritual because of tradition.
While the townspeople are not comfortable with the lottery, as displayed through their nervous tension during the ritual, they are also not willing to change anything more than the box they use or the pieces drawn from the box (Jackson, 1948, p.

458). Change does not come easily for the society in the text because the lottery has gone on for such a long time within the town and in surrounding towns-- that it has become a tradition for each citizen to take part in it each year. The story that the present box had been made with parts of the first box, used when the village was built, informs the reader of just how long the lottery has gone on. Old Man Warner, the oldest character in the text, symbolizes an unwillingness to change or stray from tradition. While other characters seem wary of the lottery, Warner believes “there’s always been a lottery,” and the idea of changing that now would be ludicrous because without a lottery, society would be “eating stewed chickweed and acorns” and would be back to “living in caves” (Jackson, 1948, p.

460).
At the beginning of the text, Jackson (1948) sets a happy tone by describing a “clear and sunny” summer day with children playing and flowers blooming (p. 457). This contradicts the mood of the characters as the story progresses. Instead of laughing at jokes, men smile, and as the crowd gathers in the town square, the nervous and uneasy energy grows (Jackson, 1948, p. 457). While the townspeople seem calm, their actions and ticks prove otherwise. The people in the square act friendly towards each other, as they joke with Mrs. Hutchinson about running late, however once Mr. Summer reached the front of the gathering and “cleared his throat,” “a hush fell on the crowd” (Jackson, 1948, p. 459). The tension of the people in the presence of Mr. Summers and the black box he holds indicates the power he holds over the community. Since the characters objectify change, they contain their unease and let the totalitarian system of government rule over them.
The names of certain characters within “The Lottery” have significance to the story’s interpretation and meaning. As mentioned before, “Mr. Graves” carrying the black box symbolizes that death is growing near. Mr. Summers’ name contains irony, because while summer reflects positive connotations and new beginnings, Mr. Summers is the man announcing who will die at the end of the story (Jackson, 1948, p. 462). In the lottery, names were drawn alphabetically to retrieve individual paper slips, so Mr. Adams was the first man to hold his fate (Jackson, 1948, p. 459). However, his name and actions also hold significant biblical references, since Adam and his partner Eve (or Mrs. Adams in the story) were the first humans created by God, and were able to choose their fate before the rest of mankind (BIBLICAL CITATION). Another biblical name is Mrs. Delacriox, which means “of the cross” in Latin. Her character’s actions, combined with her name, portray irony to the reader, because at the end of the story, she “selects a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands” to kill Mrs. Hutchinson with.
A New Historicist Criticism of “The Lottery”
“The Lottery,” which was written in 1948 (post-World War II), was initially written as a warning to America not to follow a corrupt and totalitarian government like the Third Reich and Nazi party. The era the text was published in influences the meaning and message of “The Lottery,” and helps the reader understand its intended audience. Unlike the goal of a perfect society in Nazi Germany, Jackson conveyed the message to American that all human life matters, no matter what other people, and especially the government, enforce. In a dark, post-WWII time, “The Lottery” served as a reminder to people what evils a dictatorship can bring onto society.
Adolf Hitler controlled how German citizens were required to act, and he required them to show full support of military ventures and laws passed in an oppressive manner when he was fuhrer. During World War II, the concept of the Holocaust and tyranny within Germany was shocking to Americans, because they were not experiencing the oppressive government themselves, but rather looking in from the outside. In 1948 (post-World War II), Jackson wrote “The Lottery,” which can be interpreted as a reflection of the effects a tyrannical government can have upon society over time. America was frightened by the threat of a possible tyranny in the United States, and Jackson’s (1948) short story was meant to serve as an accurate realization of totalitarian government for Americans. The story served as a guide at a time of heightened fright, to let Americans understand the outcome of a totalitarian government, which is ultimately death to any person who speaks out, as Tessie Hutchinson did in her final moments. In the story, the townspeople are nervous and uncomfortable with the lottery, however it is the duty of the society so they all oblige. Similarly, in Germany from 1939-1945, racial and nationalistic thinking was enforced onto society by the government, no matter what military actions were made by the Nazi party (Pine, 1996, p. 93).
From the context of the story, violence is clearly not a shy subject for any of the characters, as long as they are not the one to be put to death. The children are raised from young ages to believe the evils they commit each year are normal, as they joyfully collect stones at the beginning of the text (Jackson, 1948, p. 457). In a totalitarian Germany during WWII, the principles of education within elementary schools focused on teaching German children to be physically strong, “prepared for sacrifice,” and ready to take on the responsibilities of the German community (Pine, 1996, p. 95). Due to becoming exposed to evil at young ages, the children in “The Lottery,” much like the children of the Third Reich, were not able to tell right from wrong when growing up and becoming a part of society.
The social structure of the families within Jackson’s (1948) short story are all but unfamiliar to the social caste systems held in Germany during WWII.

Gender roles, which still heavily influenced the era in which “The Lottery” was written, are frequent within the text. Husbands, or even the eldest son in the family, are preferred to draw a lottery slip over having a women do it, and when Mrs. Dunbar was forced to draw a slip, the rest of the townspeople look down on the whole family (Jackson, 1948, p. 459). These gender roles were a reflection of the influence of the government over women in Germany. German girls were taught at young ages how to become mothers and wives (just like the women in the story), while men became the leaders of the household and were trained as boys to become soldiers in the Hitler’s army (Pine, 1996, p. 95). World War II was a major influence to the gender roles of the characters because of the gender roles attached to the war; wives were meant to stay behind while husbands fought in the

regime.
During the Holocaust in WWII, many Germans did not know “the fate of their neighbors,” as many Jews were being evacuated eastward to places from which they would not return (BEYOND BELIEF). Similarly, the lottery contests a random selection of each family, and then person, which eventually has to die, so none of the townspeople know their fate or anyone else’s until the final black dot is revealed for the year (Jackson. 1948, p. 462). The Holocaust was a hushed act within Germany, even during Hitler’s dictatorship, but if it was spoken of, citizens did so in a praising manner so as to protect themselves and their loved ones (BEYOND BELIEF). This can be related to how no character within “The Lottery” is able to stand up to the ancient tradition for the sake of sparing lives, but they simply go along with the ritual each year because society forces participation and no one believes in change enough to stand against the totalitarian rule.
Consistent with the totalitarian government of Germany and with the influential powers that fueled the Holocaust during World War II, Shirley Jackson’s (1948) short story is able to perfectly reflect the darkest parts of human nature. The children within the town are trained from a young age to respect, and not question, authority (as are the adults), women and men conform to strict gender roles, and evil traditions remain stuck within society. “The Lottery” was written in 1948 to represent the wrong-doings of Nazi Germany and to remind Americans of the power a dictating government can have over society.