"The Lottery"

Central to the plot, and equally symbolically significant, “The Lottery” takes place in the innocent and happy setting of a village square on a “clear and sunny” June day. The village square, in the center of town, is where activities most central and important to a town often occur. The bright sunny day on which the lottery takes place ironically symbolizing life and happiness is in stark contrast to the inevitable cruelty that is to conclude the days activity.

All villagers from the youngest children to the eldest seniors gather in casual Sunday attire, Mrs. Hutchinson even in her apron, pointing to the seeming mundane normalcy of the day’s proceedings. Of these villagers is Old Man Warner, symbolizing a testament to tradition and also perhaps also survival, “Seventy seventh year I been in the lottery”, he says while on his way to select his slip of paper from the aptly colored black box. “Pack of crazy fools”, Old Man Warner says of young people suggesting they give up the lottery, “There’s always been a lottery” he states as if because something always has been, that it always should be, adding close-mindedness the list he symbolizes. A seemingly close-knit community, together on a pleasant morning to choose who will die that day is representative that society can be cold as cruel.