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Tradition“Lottery in June, corn be heavy
soon” (528-529).◦The stoning was a sacrifice made for
good crops◦Sacrifice goes back to ancient times
(Aztecs, Incas, Mayans) Blood is vital to human life, a life-giving
source
◦Stoning goes back to Biblical times
TraditionThe villagers get rid of parts of
the tradition they feel are pointless◦The chant & the salute◦They keep the savage ritual of
sacrificeThe author is pointing out how
resistant people are to change (esp. the older generation – Old Man Warner)
Plot Elements
Resolution
◦“‘It isn’t fair,’ . . . and then they were upon her” (531)
◦Tessie gets stoned
ConflictsMan vs. man
◦Tessie vs. the villagersMan vs. self
◦Tessie vs. feelings of injustice
Man vs. society ◦Tessie vs. outdated tradition of stoning
CharactersMr. Summers
◦In charge of the lottery. Wants to get done in time for lunch & to go back to work
◦Lottery is a fact of life like any other part of the day
Old Man Warner ◦Been through the lottery 77 times & doesn’t want to change it
◦Represents stubborn older generation
CharactersClyde Dunbar
◦Broken leg, but family draws anyhow
◦Everyone must participateMrs. Delacroix
◦Chooses the largest stone ◦Friendship ties don’t matter
CharactersLil’ Davy
◦ The youngest Hutchinson Even little children could be sacrificed
◦ Given tiny pebbles to stone his mother Everyone participates so there is no guilt
Tessie Hutchinson ◦ Shows up late & jokes around until her
family draws the black dot Fairness only matters to the victim
◦ Wants her daughter to be part of the draw Willing to risk her own daughter’s life to
save herself
Theme Man’s inhumanity to man
◦The cruelty humans are capable of, the awful things people do to others
◦The villagers stone Tessie for the crops
◦Tessie puts her own daughter at risk to save herself
◦No one was exempt (even Lil’ Davy could have been chosen & had to stone his own mother)
◦Mrs. Delacroix chooses the largest stone
Theme Fairness only matters to the
victim◦Tessie was happy, joking, and
participating until her name was drawn
◦It only became unfair when her name was chosen
ThemeReluctance of society to reject
outdated traditions, ideas, rules, laws, and practices◦Old Man Warner said that giving up
the lottery would be like going back to living in caves
◦The villagers got rid of the chant & salute, but they kept the stoning
ThemeSociety wrongfully designates
scapegoats to bear sins of the community◦For a successful growing season,
Tessie was the unlucky one chosen to be sacrificed
◦Everyone participates so there is no guilt
SettingJune 27th, 10 AM, farming village
(no year, no town name)◦Could be anytime, any town because
man’s inhumanity to man happens any and everywhere
ForeshadowingBoys gathering stones at the
beginningThe box is blackTessie being late and making
jokesTessie saying it isn’t fair when
her family is selected and when she draws the dot
Dramatic IronyGiving up the lottery would be
uncivilized (Old Man Warner)◦Nothing civil about a lottery where
the winner gets stonedGave up parts of the ritual
(salute, chant) but keep the inhumane part (stoning)
Situational IronyThere is a
contradiction between what the reader expects to happen and what really happens
Situational ironySunny day, people talking and
joking, ready to eat lunch◦About to stone someone
Lotteries are supposed to be good . . . win a prize◦The winner “wins” death
SymbolsThe black dot
◦Family member who draws it is stoned to death
◦Represents the scapegoat who bears the blame of society