Shirley Jackson’s song, “The Lottery”, is rich in symbolism. Symbolism can be used to represent another thing. It creates meaning and feelings in stories by making it possible for the reader to connect the pieces of literature with the real world. Sometimes, it can be difficult to identify the core meaning of the author’s message. Symbols may be difficult to identify or can be extremely abstract, making it more challenging for the audience. Every icon in “The Lottery” can be taken to mean many things. Jackson has used at most three categories of symbols in the story.
As an example, let’s take the lottery as a case study. This object can represent at least two distinct viewpoints. It could be a symbol of government corruption. The lottery story is clearly premeditated. It is important to follow the guidelines and expectations as they are revealed in government. Americans are required to fulfill, vote for and do work that is contrary to their core beliefs each day, week, or year. More laws and regulations are being made to corrupt the country, but people are afraid to challenge the status-quo. This is linked to the theme about being forced to do terrible things by higher authority. This can be immediately compared with The Purge. Because crime is now legal, mass anarchy spreads across the country. This was not okay, who said? The only ones who were granted protection were the government officials, just as Mr. Graves was and Mr. Summers. They were given immunity because they had the power to take part in their local community. Despite their facades, no one would ever choose to play in the lottery. These people were forced to support this cause and formed a mental barrier, which made it seem normal to them to use this form of torture. You would think that the higher-ups would look out for their best interests. They were brainwashed! It was obvious that you could put oneself in danger to break down this barrier. When Mrs. Hutchinson faced hazard, the woman immediately blamed others and renounced the lotto. Her husband replied that she should be quiet. He carried on doing what was necessary because he believed it was right. He did what he was told by the administration and did it without hesitation, even though things were difficult. Community traditions could be the next item to be attributed to the lottery. This village is home to many people who are unaware of the evil that is occurring right in front of their eyes. The people take part in the lottery because they know what to expect and are familiar with it. No reaction, contemplation, emotion, etc. These people do not display any emotion, contemplation, or reaction. They put a pause in their daily lives to pay attention to the wrath of the lottery. Is it not possible to see the evil they are doing? How can one get used to such horrible things? This would seem to be a common practice in a settlement, but it is actually happening all over the country. Some people even go so far as to testify that the incident was exonerated by nearby towns. One man finally justifies this event by saying that it has always happened. What is the point of someone standing up for something they know to be right? Is wrong ever righted? It is almost impossible to hear them say, “Everyone is doing this, so we cannot seem different.” It is the familiar. It is the expected. While analyzing Jackson’s works, one must weigh the morals of any traditions we are following. This idea is linked to the notion of blindly following traditional. Did the people know why the lottery was being played? A character even mentioned that they didn’t know the beginning and end of the lottery. This was still considered suspicious by all! It is not possible to see any reason why the lottery should be stopped. It is what they have had for years. This is how the town’s foundations are built. This serves as their justification. They don’t want to be wrong so they don’t question motives or blame tradition.
These two perspectives on symbolism have a lot in common. They both relate to symbolism using an object in the tale. Jackson also uses objects to connect themes, and express emotions about the story’s contexts many times more. The black box is an example of such a matter. These artifacts were carefully chosen to help the story’s themes. All of them are linked to create a world that encourages readers to make connections, questions and associations. The blackbox is representative of corrupt laws in the land and misrepresented relationships people have with them. The reader is effected by the color. The situation can be analyzed and one can see that the fate of the entire town lies within the box. It is the boxes that contain the slips on paper that tell us about someone’s fate. If the lottery is government, the box must contain the decrees. This is a standard rule for the lottery and a long-standing tradition. The lottery uses the box to implement its regulations, much like the government does. The box is what allows for a controlled and regulated sense. If the lottery was the tradition, the box would signify the values of people. The story mentions that the box was getting wilted. Each year passes and the box becomes more fractured. This can be attributed to the fact people’s values becoming “split” in order to win the lottery. As each year passes, more perversion is allowed into people’s lives.
You can use objects and symbols as well as characters to add value to a piece. The Delacroix characters, for instance, signify the church. Their name literally means the cross. This brings into Jackson’s writing thoughts of religion. The family, which appears repeatedly, is friend to all. They are knit together with the rest, but they still follow the customs and traditions of the officials, even when it means their friends may be put at risk. One might wonder, “Are they really friends?” This suggests that although the church may be seen as a positive, occupied sanctuary for the community, it can also become a source of immorality. The corruption in this example was disguised under a tradition. Ironic, because traditions are usually innocent and bring joy to everyone who experiences them.
It is possible that Mr. Graves could be interpreted as a death symbol. He is the man who leads the extravagant celebration. Although he is not a major character in the story, he lurks in the background looking for people to devour. He is the local postmaster. This power allows him to grant authority to Mr. Summers for the conduct of the lottery. This is related to society’s tendency to push their sins onto someone who has all the consequences. Society seeks out a fall-guy to purge their wrongdoings from them. Tessie Hudson is the final victim in the tale. Her doom is finally met. This bad outcome could have been caused by Mr. Graves, who would not have the authority to give it. There wouldn’t have been death without him.
As hard as it may be for you to believe, numbers can also be used to identify deeper meanings. The black box of tragedy sits on a stool with three legs. The three legs of the stool could represent a part of the Christian doctrine of the Divine Trinity. This concept is three-in-one. This is what binds the legs together, and can be described as the crown on the stool. Jackson once again uses symbolism to unlock the door of religion. The Father would be identified as one leg, and the Son and Holy Ghost as two. The Trinity is the supremacy and control of all things on earth, if you are a believer. It holds all the keys. It can be restored as a stool holding up the crucial component of the lottery, the blackbox.
Also, Old Man Warner’s age brings luck to the forefront. He is now seventy-seven years old. Many people know that seven is associated with luck. Seven is considered the luckiest number, according to American tradition and culture. You will often see sevens with four leafed clovers on St. Patrick’s Day. The story has not one but two sevens. This doubles Old Man Warner’s blessing. In addition, he openly admits to having the lucky draw. He has had the odds in his favor over the years.
He was able to live to an adulthood without ever having to be effected by the lottery. This is a testament to the man’s luck. He was fortunate not to be subject to the ghastly consequences of this unfortunate event.
It is possible, optimistically, to identify different symbols that can unmasked throughout a story. Be open to different interpretations of each symbol. If the text supports opinions, then no one should feel anxious to speak what they really sense. Jackson used numbers, characters, and objects to create an inner reaction and a deeper understanding of her story. Each symbol adds meaning to the themes Jackson explores. She uses symbols to reveal religious, governmental, community and other issues within society. Jackson is hard to pin down exactly what prompted her to write this piece. However, it is clear that Jackson aspired for her trials to be brought to the forefront and made relevant to the hearts and eyes of all her readers.
