How do the villagers feel about the box in the lottery?
The villagers treat the black box like a person would treat a holy object that they have grown up knowing about but never know its significance. They approach the black box with caution and a certain degree of wariness, but they “keep their distance” (3).
How did most people feel towards the lottery?
The townspeople have mixed reactions to the annual lottery. Some are genuinely excited about it—the children who don’t know any better think it’s an opportunity to play and talk together. … The adults also do not display much seriousness, until the actual lottery begins.
Why didn’t the villagers want a new black box?
The box is worn and old, but the villagers do not want to “upset tradition” by replacing it, even though it is not even the original box used for the ritual. The black box is an artifact, and, like all artifacts, is culturally and historically important to its people.
How did the lottery affect the townspeople?
The lottery’s origins are steeped in the superstitious belief that one innocent villager must be sacrificed each year in order to increase the harvest yield. … Some fear that ending the lottery will negatively impact the community but the majority of citizens carry out the ritual because it has always taken place.
What happened to the old black wooden box in the lottery?
Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready; there were stones on the ground with the blowing scraps of paper that had come out of the box.
What was Shirley Jackson’s message in the lottery?
The primary message of Shirley Jackson’s celebrated short story “The Lottery” concerns the dangers of blindly following traditions. In the story, the entire community gathers in the town square to participate in the annual lottery.
How did you feel about the lottery at the end of the story?
Yes, I was surprised by the ending of the story. Jackson foreshadows a peaceful and original town. ( Stones repeated 3 times in paragragh 2)People in the town are seemly accustomed to this event that it comes as no surprise.
Why is the black box described as battered?
Why is the black box described as “battered”? … The box is described as battered because of its age and tradition possibly referring to ancient times where stoning was common. Other symbols in the story are the stones which represented death, Mr.
How does Tessie feel about the lottery?
Tessie Hutchinson
The unlucky loser of the lottery. Tessie draws the paper with the black mark on it and is stoned to death. She is excited about the lottery and fully willing to participate every year, but when her family’s name is drawn, she protests that the lottery isn’t fair.
What is ironic about the black box in the lottery?
In “The Lottery,” Jackson says that the black box represents tradition, hence the villagers’ reluctance to replace it, despite its shabbiness. The box also implicitly symbolizes death. This symbolic aspect of the box, however, comes more from its function than its form. Its blackness symbolizes death.
Who brought the black box in the lottery?
Graves, followed him, carrying a three-legged stool, and the stool was put in the center of the square and Mr. Summers set the black box down on it. The villagers kept their distance, leaving a space between themselves and the stool, and when Mr.
What is the symbolism of the black box and stones in the lottery?
In “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson uses the black box and stones to symbolize death in order to support a key theme.