A lottery is a game wherein a prize, usually money, is awarded to the winner by chance. It is a popular form of gambling and is offered by many governments. It has also been used as a way of raising funds for projects. Historically, it has been used to finance roads, canals, colleges and even wars. However, it is important to remember that lottery is a form of gambling and can have serious consequences for those who become addicted.
Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” demonstrates how cruel and inhumane people can be when they are compelled to adhere to oppressive cultural norms. While a lottery is usually regarded as an innocent and family-friendly event, the way the town treats Tessie after she wins shows that the lottery can have deadly consequences for those who do not conform to the norm.
The story begins with Tessie washing breakfast dishes, a task she reluctantly completes. She is later reminded of the annual Lottery Day celebration. This is when the head of each household draws a slip from a box. The prizes vary from food and goods to livestock and slaves. The most common prize is cash. In some cases, the value of the prize is predetermined, and the promoter deducts expenses and profits from the total pool.
In colonial America, the lottery was often a major source of capital to fund public and private ventures. Lotteries financed the construction of roads, churches, libraries, schools, canals and bridges, among other things. Benjamin Franklin, who was the founder of Philadelphia, held a lottery to raise money for cannons for its defense. George Washington was a manager for several lotteries that advertised land and slaves as prizes.
Tessie’s husband, Bill, a farmer, is also drawn a slip. As she watches the heads of households draw their prize, she hears muttering that the community is going to stop holding the lottery. An old man cites a traditional rhyme: “Lottery in June/Corn will be heavy soon.” Tessie’s disapproval is made evident as she begins to gather stones for the town’s next victim.
The fact that the town stoned Tessie to death is a symbol of their hatred and prejudices against women. They see her as a threat to the customary order of the community, and a reminder of their own oppressive past. Tessie’s name may also be an allusion to Anne Hutchinson, the American religious dissenter whose Antinomian beliefs led to her excommunication from Massachusetts in 1638. Jackson’s use of this name suggests that she is implying that there is a bit of spiritual rebellion lurking within the women of her imaginary village. This, along with the brutal ending of the lottery, reveals the cruelty and inhumanity that humans can commit when they are forced to conform to a culture.