The Lottery Paints a Picture of a Desensitized Society by Reena Cheng (G8) The Lottery Paints a Picture of a Desensitized Society By Reena Cheng Grade 8 Winning the lottery is a coveted dream for many. Winning this specific lottery would crush that dream, and all your dreams for that matter. The short story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is a chilling tale that describes villagers in a town who casually partake in a gruesome tradition without realizing the cruelty behind it. Jackson utilizes tone, descriptive word choice, and sensory details to contrast the peaceful mood of the villagers with the unsettling actions they take, painting a vibrant picture of societal norms today. First, Jackson shows the villager’s sense of calm by making the lottery seem like a casual event with family and friends. It’s seen as just another town tradition, and no one bats an eye at the harsh fate of the lottery winner. It’s even compared to other town gatherings, like dances and holiday events. For instance, the text says, “The lottery was conducted—as were the square dances, the teen-age club, the Halloween program—by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.” (Jackson, 3) Although the lottery has a much darker meaning, it’s still considered to be on the same level as all these other annual events. Additionally, by portraying how the children partook in the lottery through the innocent collection of stones, the author effectively uses imagery to foreshadow the chilling outcome of the lottery. When the stones were first introduced, it was the picture of innocence. The second paragraph says, “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones…” (Jackson, 2) This section foreshadows the events that are to happen during the lottery, which has a much darker significance than a pile of pretty stones. During the stoning of the “lottery winner”, all the townspeople take part in it, including Mrs. Hutchinson’s own family. The final page of the passage says, “The children had stones already, and someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles.” (Jackson, 9) The tone shifted drastically at this moment, where the readers realized exactly what’s happening. The pile of stones that had seemed like an offhand detail became a pivotal point in the story. Finally, the image of the lottery and the desensitized villagers paints a picture of society and how people can become desensitized to violence in the world. Because the lottery is so ingrained in their culture and traditions, they don’t bat an eye at the cruel event. In fact, before the drawing began, they assembled casually and cracked jokes, like nothing was out of the ordinary. Paragraph 9 says, “‘Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie.’ Mrs. Hutchinson said, grinning, ‘Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe?,’ and soft laughter ran through the crowd as the people stirred back into position after Mrs. Hutchinson’s arrival.” In today’s age, many people make jokes about tragic events or horrors. They ignore blatant issues or brush them off. It’s something real that affects every area of our lives and decreases the importance of these events, while simultaneously decreasing empathy for those affected. Shirley Jackson used “The Lottery” to paint a picture of how people nowadays are so desensitized to injustices in the world, just like how the villagers grew desensitized to the horror of the lottery. All in all, the short story, “The Lottery” isn’t just an unsettling narrative. It’s a depiction of how brutal humans can be when following traditions, and how desensitized they grow as a result. Although “The Lottery” is a fictional story, the cruelty of humans is no joke. It’s not too difficult to imagine a world where the lottery does end up happening, and if we aren’t careful, it just might. All of this goes to say, I suggest you think twice before purchasing that lottery ticket!
