Skip to main content

What were the tools used for the lottery in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson?

The two primary tools used in the lottery are the stones and the black box. Add the pencil and paper and this is the extent of tools used in the lottery. Therefore, the most technologically advanced tool used is the pencil or pen used to write the names down; the stones are as archaic and/or rudimentary as it gets. So, we have writing—one of the most important technological developments in human history—and stones, perhaps the...

The two primary tools used in the lottery are the stones and the black box. Add the pencil and paper and this is the extent of tools used in the lottery. Therefore, the most technologically advanced tool used is the pencil or pen used to write the names down; the stones are as archaic and/or rudimentary as it gets. So, we have writing—one of the most important technological developments in human history—and stones, perhaps the most primitive weapon ever used. This dichotomy encapsulates the dilemma of this society. It is a town with (relatively) modern capabilities (represented by writing) but it is a town stubbornly rooted in the past (represented by the stones). 


The black box itself is also a tool. Although the box is weathered, the general consensus is that the village should not replace the box.



Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box. There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here. 



So, the box is treated like a sacred object. Note that while the townspeople generally agree that the box should not be harmed, they have no trouble continuing their tradition of ritual killing. The townspeople gives the box more value than human life. These tools are idols, revered more for their connection to this barbaric ritual than they would be revered for their practical purposes in improving things. In other words, the tools are used to continue an old, barbaric ritual. Instead, they could be used to create new things, instill more knowledge, and thus lead to more progressive, humane thinking. 

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more