The story takes place in present day in a small town. All the people gathered around for an annual ritual known as "the lottery" this event is done every year on the 27th June. In this village there are more then 300 residents. Children collected stones, while the adult townsfolk assembled for the annual event. In the lottery, the man of each family draws a small slip of paper; Mr. Hutchinson got the slip with a black spot, which meant that his family was chosen for the lottery and later Mr. Hutchinson’s family had to draw a slip from the black box. His wife Tessie who had arrived late got the marked slip. Although this tradition had been abandoned in other neighborhoods, the folks in the village didn’t felt the need of changing this hysteric event. Tessie was stoned to death by the children and all the people who were present at the event.
Questions:
1.What does the black box symbolizes?
2. In the past were there any cultural or historical events like this?
3. Why didn't Mr. Hutchinson save his wife? why didn't he chose to be stoned rather than his wife.
4. What does this lottery mean, if it leads to death? What does the villagers benefit by stoning Tessie to death?
5. Were the people afraid of changing the rule of the (tradition) lottery?
"The Lottery" is a story that involves hysteria and hypocrisy which shows the weakness of man kind. "Some places have already quit lotteries". Mr. Adams said. "Nothing but trouble in that", old Man Warner said stoutly. "Pack of young fools." The younger people in the village felt that the event should be abandoned just like the other villages, but the old folks didn’t want changes to be made. This shows that the folks are afraid of changes in their life and want everything to stay the same, because they felt that something bad might happen if they change the ritual.
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