Following Tradition In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story that speaks about following tradition even when it is bad, how people can follow along with something when in a large group even when it is bad and how people can turn on someone very quickly.

First lets look at how it speaks about following tradition. There are many instances that Jackson uses to let the reader know that “the Lottery” is tradition. “The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been long lost, and the black box…had been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born”, (Jackson. par. 5) the writer clearly lets the reader know this has been going on for a very long time. The reader gets to the end of the story and finds out that a person gets stoned to death because it is tradition. Only avfew little comments during the story indicate that anyone thinks the tradition should be stopped. When one of the towns people makes a comment about quitting the lottery “…that over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery” (Jackson. par. 51) another town person remarks, “Pack of crazy fools…there’s always been a lottery” (Jackson. par. 52). This remark lets the reader know where many of the town people stand on the tradition. They believe tradition must keep going.

Next look at how Jackson uses her story to illustrate how people will follow a group, just like peer pressure.

No one tries to stop or question why the town continues the lottery. In fact, Tessie Hutchinson, the one who ends up the winner/loser of the lottery, is the only one who voices that the lottery is wrong, tradition or not, “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right,” Mrs. Hutchinson screamed,…” (Jackson. par 79.) Everyone else picked up their stones and stoned her. They even did as Mr. Summers said, “Let’s finish quickly” (Jackson. par. 73.). As a group they all stoned her, working together and justifying her killing as

tradition.
Lastly we will look at how people can turn on you in an instant. Tessie Hutchinson was a member of the town just like everyone else. There was no indication that the town people did not like her. She had family, a husband and children. The town people and her family turned and stoned her as if they didn’t care and had no feelings toward her. Jackson’s writing indicates that all will follow the crowd, that no body will stand up for what’s right if everyone is doing what is wrong.
Jackson is telling her readers that just because it is tradition and everybody is doing something it doesn’t always make it right. When confronted with right or wrong in a group one should stand up for what’s right and not behave differently because someone else does.