The Lottery essays

The Lottery essays 27 June bisects the summer soltstice and Independence Day, which is a contrast between superstitious paganism and rational democracy. The sunny day and the blooming of flowers indicate a happy, festive occasion. The reader does not realize that The Lottery is not a happy occasion until its tragic end. The reader can never perceive something so holocaustic happening in 20th Century America. Initially, the reader thinks that the lottery is a modern day lottery in which something of monetary value is won. Ironically, the only thing that is won is the head of one of the members of the village to satisfy traditional belief and practice. At no point does the author indicate the location of The Lottery; However, the Salem witch trials in 1692 in Massachusetts which resulted in 14 women and 6 men being executed indicates that The Lottery could have taken place in New England. Historically, there was a well-known New England woman named Anne Hutchinson. The General Court of Massachusetts tried Anne Hutchinson in 1637 for her antinomian beliefs. She was found guilty, excommunicated from the church, and banished from the colony. Ironically, Tessie Hutchinson shares Anne Hutchinsons last name who is from New England. Both women were excommunicated in some manner, Anne by the church and Tessie from the community by sacrifice. They both had some individual beliefs. Annes belief was antinomian and Tessies belief is that of self-survival that is manifested by her hypocritical outburst, it isnt fair, it isnt right (322). Tessie Hutchinson belief is self-survival because her nonchalant attitude towards the lottery shows when she runs to the square because she was late, and joking around with the crowd. When it is her family time to draw from the box, she urges her husband to get up there, Bill (319). She would have eagerly pa...