"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

“The Lottery,” a short story by author Shirley Jackson, focuses on a theme of great importance, what can happen when tradition is not questioned in society. The way something has always been done is not necessarily the most appropriate way with how times have changed, and this story is an example of this fault. The idea of “The Lottery” is that every year, one member of the community is stoned to death, simply because it is tradition. One of the characters, Old Man Warner, states in the story, “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon,” (Jackson, 268). This quote was an old saying that the townspeople had used in the past as a reason for the barbaric lottery. They saw the lottery as some sort of ritual to bring in a bountiful harvest. However, during the present time of the story, this explanation is no longer applicable. It is even stated that many of the aspects of the ritual had been disregarded over the years, with only the stoning remaining. This proves that there really was no reason for the lottery other than tradition. Furthermore, many of the surrounding towns, the northern town specifically mentioned, had done away with the lottery, only further emphasizing the fact that it was not necessary. As the lottery was unjustly and barbarically killing an innocent person every year, the theme of the importance of questioning tradition is well explained.