In the United States, state lotteries are popular with the public and provide a substantial source of revenue for various government projects. In fact, almost all states have a lottery of some sort. Most have a daily game that allows players to pick six numbers to win a prize. There are also instant-win scratch-off games and lottery tickets that offer smaller prizes but with a much higher chance of winning.
However, there are many dangers associated with playing the lottery. There are reports of people who have won large sums of money only to lose it all in a few years due to gambling addiction and greed. Many others have fallen into poverty after winning the lottery. The most common problem with the lottery is that it changes a person’s outlook on life and leads to reckless spending. This is especially true if the winner is in their early twenties or thirties, when they tend to spend most of their newfound wealth.
The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, is a chilling story about the brutality of human nature and the destructiveness of conformity to societal tradition. It explores the dark side of the human condition, showing that people will willingly turn against each other in the name of conformity. It also warns against blindly upholding cruel and senseless traditions, and it illustrates the importance of questioning and challenging authority.
Jackson’s story takes place in a small town on an unspecified date. The setting is idyllic and creates a sense of normalcy and predictability, which contrasts with the ominous undertones of the story. As soon as the story begins, readers can sense that something is wrong.
As people begin to gather in the village square, there is a hush in the crowd. The narrator introduces Mr. Summers, the organizer of the lottery, who carries a black box and sets it on a stool in the center of the square. The narrator notes that the box is old and may contain pieces of the original lottery paraphernalia from an earlier time. The villagers respect the ritual and revere the black box as a relic of the past.
After a moment of silence, Mr. Summers reads the names of the villagers. The heads of families approach the box and select a paper slip. They avoid looking at the slips and hold them tightly in their hands.
As the selections are made, a few of the villagers mention that other towns have abandoned the lottery. Old Man Warner scoffs at this and insists that the lottery is necessary for a peaceful, productive community. As the names are called, Tessie Hutchinson’s name is drawn first. The villagers then begin to hurl stones at her.
