A Review of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

In a lottery, participants pay a small amount of money for the chance to win a prize. The prize can be a large sum of money or a specific item. Lotteries have a long history in the United States and around the world. They have been used to raise money for many different reasons, including education, public works, and wars. Today, state governments also use them to promote tourism and attract businesses. But despite their popularity, lotteries are controversial. Some critics believe that they are a form of gambling and should be banned, while others argue that they provide an opportunity for the poor to gain wealth. The controversy has not prevented states from introducing and operating lotteries.

The story begins when Mr. Summers, a man who represents authority in the story, carries out a black wooden box. He stirs up the papers inside of it and begins the lottery. The readers can see the iniquity of ordinary people at this point in the story. The men and women in the village greet one another and exchange bits of gossip, even though they are not really talking to each other. They also manhandle each other without a smirk. This reflects the evil nature of humans and shows that people condone violence when it is in conformity with their cultural beliefs and traditions.

Despite the fact that this story takes place in a fictional village, the reader can still apply it to their own lives. The author of the story, Shirley Jackson, has shown that societal traditions are so powerful that they can overtake the rational mind. Even though the villagers in the story don’t know why they are participating in the lottery, they continue to follow tradition blindly.

The principal argument used by every state to promote the adoption of a lottery has been that the proceeds will benefit a specific public good, such as education. This is a powerful argument during times of economic stress, when states face the prospect of tax increases or cuts in public programs. However, it is not a strong argument in times of economic prosperity. In fact, research has shown that the popularity of state lotteries is not closely linked to a state’s actual fiscal condition.

In addition, many critics of the lottery focus on specific features of the industry, such as the problems of compulsive gamblers and a regressive impact on low-income residents. These arguments, however, reflect a general sense of frustration with state government and an anxiety about future fiscal conditions. As the popularity of lotteries continues to increase, the debate over their merits will shift from the question of whether they should be established at all to the specifics of how they are operated. Those who support the lottery argue that the games are fair and are a legitimate source of revenue for state government. Opponents of the lottery argue that they are not fair and can cause great harm to individuals and society.