Religious and Traditional Symbols in the Lottery - 1491 Words

Religious groups encourage and enforce conformity of their social norms and beliefs upon their members. Religious traditions are usually passed on from parent to child at an early age. In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson reveals the tradition of the lottery and how all of the villagers conform to the ritual of a human sacrifice. Growing up with an exceptionally religious father I can relate to way of thinking of the villagers that traditions are accepted without questioning. In The lottery, the children were stuffing their pockets with stones before all of the parents had arrived, Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and†¦show more content†¦The idea of being forced to conform to traditional and social norms of my fathers religion at a very young age without understanding why is portrayed in The lottery. Religious groups encourage and enforce conformity of their social norms and beliefs upon their members. Religious traditions are usually passed on from parent to child at an early age. In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson reveals the tradition of the lottery and how all of the villagers conform to the ritual of a human sacrifice. Growing up with an exceptionally religious father I can relate to way of thinking of the villagers that traditions are accepted without questioning. In The lottery, the children were stuffing their pockets with stones before all of the parents had arrived, Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones ( 529). This illustrates that the children were taught what to do in the event of the lottery and by being prepared it shows that they were keen to please their parents. My father had always pressured me to follow his religious beliefs and traditions. At first I was eager to attend his church sermons and Sunday school because it made me fell like I was pleasing my father and he would reward me with praise and ice creams on the drive home. But as I got older I started to realizeShow MoreRelated Religious and Traditional Symbols in the Lottery by Shirley Jackson753 Words   |  4 PagesReligious and Traditional Symbols in the Lottery Religious groups encourage and enforce conformity of their social norms and beliefs upon their members. Religious traditions are usually passed on from parent to child at an early age. In â€Å"The Lottery,† Shirley Jackson reveals the tradition of the lottery and how all of the villagers conform to the ritual of a human sacrifice. Growing up with an exceptionally religious father I can relate to way of thinking of the villagers that traditions areRead MoreThe Shock Value Of Jackson974 Words   |  4 PagesJackson in The Lottery is not only widely known, but it is widely felt. 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In The Lottery, the black box represented tradition for the townspeopleRead MoreOne of Americas Best and Most Controversial Short Stories, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson966 Words   |  4 Pagesover 2 hours the villagers gathered around the town’s square awaiting the results to the annual lottery. â€Å"The Lottery† was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and became one of America’s best and most controversial short stories. In â€Å"The Lottery† Shirley Jackson expressed her opinion on society’s resistance to change and how people uphold traditions passed down through generations. At first in â€Å"The Lottery† the author makes it seem like this annual event is a very positive event in the village. 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On a summer day in a small town in the short story, â€Å"The Lottery†, Jackson takes advantage of the peaceful environment and adds a convoluted twist through a misleading title and Old Man Warner and his traditions. The title, â€Å"The Lottery†, is viewed as a fortunate phenomenon at first, but once the reader apprehends the story line their