The Lottery: How Tradition Normalizes Radical Behavior Regardless of the Roots
In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, there is a very disturbing and unspeakable act that takes place. Now most people would think that what this town practices is not correct and very immoral. But one must look at the town in one way, that their tradition that they have practiced all of their lives has normalized these unspeakable acts.
Tradition has affected the townsfolk to where killing is a normal thing and they do it with no remorse. The thought that they do kill their own because they are savages is not correct. They are normal human beings just like us. Just cause they follow a different practice than the norm does not make them blood thirsty savages that live in caves and have no form of language and are completely uncivilized. It is only because of tradition that it is normal.
Now if one was to take …show more content…
These people just did what they were taught, not even thinking of the actuality of the whole outcome. They do it as a “fertility” ritual where they kill off population so that there is more available food from the crops. That is proven when the old man states “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.” That can be taken numerous ways but it is more than likely having to do with a form of population control. Since everyone has done it every year at the same time they do not even think of it as murder but as a way of easing a burden. This burden is feeding everyone “easily,” so the only way to solve this problem is to control the population. Population control is used still today through not only laws, but traditions too. Sometimes these laws and traditions today seem so terrible but if one is to take a closer look you will see they only do it because it is been “programed” into their daily
In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, there is a very disturbing and unspeakable act that takes place. Now most people would think that what this town practices is not correct and very immoral. But one must look at the town in one way, that their tradition that they have practiced all of their lives has normalized these unspeakable acts.
Tradition has affected the townsfolk to where killing is a normal thing and they do it with no remorse. The thought that they do kill their own because they are savages is not correct. They are normal human beings just like us. Just cause they follow a different practice than the norm does not make them blood thirsty savages that live in caves and have no form of language and are completely uncivilized. It is only because of tradition that it is normal.
Now if one was to take …show more content…
These people just did what they were taught, not even thinking of the actuality of the whole outcome. They do it as a “fertility” ritual where they kill off population so that there is more available food from the crops. That is proven when the old man states “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.” That can be taken numerous ways but it is more than likely having to do with a form of population control. Since everyone has done it every year at the same time they do not even think of it as murder but as a way of easing a burden. This burden is feeding everyone “easily,” so the only way to solve this problem is to control the population. Population control is used still today through not only laws, but traditions too. Sometimes these laws and traditions today seem so terrible but if one is to take a closer look you will see they only do it because it is been “programed” into their daily