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Mob Mentality In The Lottery

717 Words3 Pages

"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a short story about a strange village that blindly follows a non beneficial tradition. Jackson uses several objects in order to convey the overall theme of mob mentality to the reader, such as stones, old man Warner, and the black box. The symbols build upon the story to solidify the theme that mob mentality can ruin a society. Many societies even today struggle with mob mentality especially communist societies. "The Lottery" is a prominent example of how history repeats itself. One significant symbol within the story is the stones in which are used to kill the chosen individual. The stones allow everyone in the village no matter the age to participate in the barbaric ritual effortlessly. The most shocking …show more content…

You are probably thinking, "why is it still so widely popular ?" We as a society like to disagree with our true selves and want to be unique when in reality we are all partaking in mob mentality. This story shows our true need for human connection which is why it is hated and/or loved by so many. One instance of this can be seen in North Korea which is a major communist country that has crafted their society to only have a mob mentality and punishes those that stray away from the hordes of unwilling compliances. Punishments for being "unique" include but are not limited to public executions, Firing squads, or being piled into inhumane prison camps. As an American, we cannot comprehend the types of laws that are enforced upon North Korean Citizens. A few bizarre controlment rules that I still struggle to comprehend myself are there are only twenty-eight ways North Korean men and women can cut their hair, North Korean Men and Women are not allowed to own a bible or any western literature, and also there are only three channels on tv and you must only watch those. Along with those laws in place, the North Korean government has control over education and news which leads to many growing up to hate other countries besides their own with no reasoning behind their hatred. Our lives along with many others are still being affected by the iron grip of societal norms.

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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson begins innocently enough with a village preparing for an annual event, but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that the seemingly harmless tradition is anything but, forcing readers to confront the dangers of blindly following tradition. Jackson employs rhetorical techniques that highlight the importance of avoiding conformity, as it will lead to dire consequences. Shirley Jackson's story is a powerful example of the use of symbolism, vivid imagery, and irony to illuminate the danger and violence of blindly following traditions, as the seemingly innocent annual lottery in a small town ultimately reveals the brutal consequences of conformity and the human capacity for violence. Throughout the story Jackson

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