Gender Roles In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Since the dawn of civilization, humanity has always dealt with the class struggles between dominated classes at various stages of social development. At some point in time, one class is always on top or the bottom of the pyramid. Shirley Jackson’s short tell “The Lottery” details the clear gender roles in the small village, while also representing those actions often presenting in our society. Gender roles play a large part on Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Many different literary devices are used to make the point that the roles of women are portrayed as inferior to those of the males. Such as the development of the plot, clever use symbolism, and the dialogue employed by the characters as do their behavior to one another show the complex

view of the perspective of women.
Furthermore, the story “The Lottery” takes place in a semi-modern period. Jay Yarmove points out in “Jackson’s ‘The Lottery'” that, “At no point does the author tell us where the lottery take place, but we are made aware of several possible indicators.”(?) An annual lottery goes on every summer in a small village. The winner, who chooses the slip of paper out of the box with a black dot on it, gets an unfortunate fate as a reward. As the story develops, Jackson includes illustrations that reflect patriarchy within the story.
For instance, Jackson illustrates early in the story when the boys gathered rocks for the lottery, while “the girls stand aside talking among themselves” (Jackson 304). Showing the patriarchy already growing within the youth, thus making it somewhat more efficient within the adults in the village. As the story goes further, one could say that the women have little to no say, while all the relevant decisions of the community are made by men. For example, women are not allowed to go to the lottery before their husbands. Therefor making the male the chef or top dog of the house. The one who determines the fate of everyone in the household. Another case of the patriarchy within the development of the plot is the three hierarchies: elders then Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves the head of the lottery, and then the men, women, and children. Men on the other hand still have the leading power over their wives and children, making them the lowest of hierarchy. A social structure in which the villagers conform to a strict gender role is revealed throughout the story.
Subsequently, during the main action of the lottery drawing, is where most of the dominant of the male show. As the box is brought to the square, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves proceed the lottery by making sure that everyone is present. The crowd responded, “Dunbar, Dunbar” (Jackson 306). His wife is in the crowd, but she may not draw for her husband because she is not a man and only man have the right to draw in the lottery. She then explains herself by saying he doesn’t have a son who is old enough. It is shocking to learn that children, born to women, have more power than their mothers, therefore revealing that women belong to a class of their own.
Likewise, the more the story processes, the more the women’s lives are somewhat weakened.

The next step of the lottery was the roll call by Mr. Summers. In which no doubt the males dominate this exercise as well. The next step is the drawing of papers from the black box by the male leader of the family. It is important to note that the fate of each and every woman in this village depends on the decisions made by the male figure. Whether the women win the lottery or not all depends on the luck of the man. Females in the village are voiceless and obey to what their male leader dictate, including those concerning life or death

situations.
Soon after the last person draws, the villagers begin open their papers, word goes around that so and so got it.

Looking in deeper into the lottery, one could say it could be rigged. Everything seemed to be planned in advance, one could have planned it to go toward the male’s favor. In this case women can only win in the lottery, but not in anything else. Making it ironic for the female figures. Just as the reader realizes how the lottery could have been rigger, so does Tessie, the winner. She begins to protest that “it wasn’t fair” (Jackson 310). Gayle Whittier, analyzes the fact that, “when Tessie resists the patriarchal ritual altogether, with holding her slip of paper from public view, male physical force is required. We are reminded that the black mark itself was made by a man” (W..). The unjust of the situation that, Tessie had to be stoned to death just because her husband chose the black dotted paper was unbelievable. It is even astounding to note that her husband telling her to “shut up” (Jackson 308). Tessie faces the wrath of the community; she is stoned to death by everyone including her own children and husband. The life of a women comes to an end not because her time has come but because it was decided by primitive male dominate

society.
Above all, the meaning of this story is portrayed through the use of literary devices which influence its feminist theme. The characters in the story are seemingly driven by tradition and not common sense. Shirley Jacksons story revolves around the lives of 300 members of an unnamed village, who practice a sacrifice ritual on one of their own each year in order to cleanse their community and ensure a better harvest. In which the women suffer more than the male figures, as they remain voiceless under the command of dominate male society.