Examples Of Mob Mentality In The Lottery

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“The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson, shows an example of mob mentality. Mob mentality is when a person feels as though they need to be a part of a large group so they abandon their morals. In the novel, the citizens come together every year for the lottery which requires one person to be stone to death. In return, the town will be ridden of its bad luck and will have a successful harvest (Jackson.) This demonstrates mob mentality because all of the citizens follow the tradition blindly. The tradition has been happening for years, and no citizen has spoken out about the consequences of their actions. It is never questioned whether there truly is a direct correlation between having a good harvest and sacrificing someone. Instead of thinking

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