Lottery – A Story About a Small Town

Lottery is a form of gambling whereby tickets are sold and prizes are allocated by a process that relies wholly on chance. The first recorded lotteries in the Low Countries were held in the 15th century, where towns used them to raise money for town fortifications and to help the poor. Later, many governments reorganized the drawing of lots to make it more like an investment, and lotteries became a popular way to raise money for public services, such as schools, roads, and military projects.

In the story, Old Man Warner explains that the lottery is tradition, and there was once a saying about “Lottery in June; corn will be heavy soon.” The story suggests that this reasoning is a justification for lottery participation. However, the story also shows how the lottery is a tool for oppression. People in the village are not able to stand up against the lottery because it is part of their culture. They are also not able to stop participating because it is what the majority wants.

In addition, the story points out how family values are not important to the villagers. The death of Mrs. Hutchinson shows that family members are not loyal to one another, especially in times of hardship. It also demonstrates how a person can be stoned to death for simply following the crowd. In this way, the story is a condemnation of hypocrisy and evil-nature of human beings. The fact that the lottery was so accepted in this small town is an indication of how much power the majority can have over those who don’t follow their views. This is seen in the mass incarceration of blacks, the profiling of Muslims after 9/11, and other modern examples of scapegoating and discrimination.