The main message of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is that blindly following tradition can lead to horrific consequences. This is a cautionary tale about the dangerous power of social conformity and how traditions, if left unchecked, can veer into terrifying territory.
Although not obviously stated in the text, much of the story serves as a warning about the dangers of mob mentality and the notion that those in power can be oppressive when unchecked. The lottery can be seen to symbolize any system that encourages the subjugation and oppression of those who are powerless to resist.
In the story, it’s clear that everyone goes along with the lottery because it’s a tradition, and no one wants to go against the grain. Even though the villagers know the lottery isn’t moral, they continue to support it because it’s been a longstanding tradition.
By the end, the true horror is revealed—all of the villagers have taken part in a system that ends up sacrificing one of their own. The story implies that traditions that may seem silly or harmless can eventually take on a more sinister role, and that not questioning these systems can be deadly.
Who won in the lottery story?
In the lottery story, the winner was the old man who had been entering the lottery every week for nearly forty years. His name was Joe and he had been playing the same numbers for all those years. When the winning numbers were finally announced, Joe couldn’t believe his luck as he realized that he had won the grand prize of $1 million.
He was so overwhelmed with his luck that he passed out with excitement and had to be taken to the hospital. After it was all said and done, Joe became an overnight millionaire and his life was changed forever.
Why did tessie get stoned in the lottery?
Tessie got stoned in the lottery because it was a long-standing tradition of the village to do so. Every year, the villagers gathered to conduct a lottery on the town square. The rules of the lottery were that each family had to draw lots and the person whose name was chosen would be stoned by the other villagers.
The lottery was believed to bring good fortune to the village, and it was done on the same day every year. Tessie ended up being the unfortunate one who got chosen by the lots that year. Despite her protests, she had to endure the punishment of being stoned by her own people in accordance with the age-old tradition.
Why is The Lottery story ironic?
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a very ironic story because it starts off as a seemingly joyous occasion, with a town gathering for a special day of celebration. However, the truth is that the lottery is actually a symbol for a sacrificial human sacrifice which one of the townspeople will be chosen for every year.
This stark contrast between the joyous appearance of the festival and the sinister truth of it makes the story ironic. The twist at the end when the protagonist, Mrs. Hutchinson, is chosen as the person to be sacrificed further highlights the irony of the situation because while she is the one who was most eager to join the lottery and make the most out of it, she is the very same person who is chosen to suffer the worst repercussion of it.
What was ironic about the ending of the story The Lottery?
The ending of The Lottery is incredibly ironic. The lottery itself is meant to be a tradition that brings the community together, but at the end it ends up tearing the community apart. The tradition appears to be some sort of ritual sacrifice, with the winner of the lottery being stoned to death by their peers.
It is ironic that a tradition meant to bring the community together ends up killing one of its members, leaving the others in shock and horrified of what they have done. Not only that, but the winner of the lottery is Tessie Hutchinson, a beloved family matriarch and mother.
It is ironic that such a nurturing and caring person is the one who is killed, leaving her family and friends devastated. This ending serves as a reminder of how tradition and ritual can sometimes lead to horrific consequences.