The Lottery Essay

Topics: The Lottery, Stoning, Rajm Pages: 3 (936 words) Published: November 4, 2012
1. Social psychologists observe that every group develops its own outcast or misfit, who is blamed for all sorts of group malfunctions and woes. Have you observed this dynamic in your own work, school, church, or family groups?

Yes this dynamic appears in some schools where a child or any student for that matter is bullied or singled out. Some peoples’ working conditions could possibly have a group malfunction as in co-workers can be racist to one another.

2. We are told a lot about the lottery, but not its exact purpose. Do the townspeople know? Is this omission significant? Intentional? No, the townspeople do not know the lottery’s exact purpose. This omission is not significant because it seems there is no point in the lottery and why these people are operating such horrid acts. It is more intentional; the townspeople are playing it safe thinking they are keeping a tradition, yet no one seems brave enough to ask why? 3. Why is much of the history of the lottery and the black box uncertain and vague? Why does Mr. Summers have to ask a question that he and everybody else already know the answer to?

Much of the history of the lottery and the black box are vague and uncertain because it has been an ‘old’ tradition amongst these three hundred townspeople. The black box that was being used was made of some pieces from the original black box that had been lost long ago when the first people settled down to make a village (134). Mr. Summers asks already known questions because he is trying to re-assure the townspeople, and or trying to keep up with what is supposed to be said in the same lottery tradition as before.

4. The box used in the lottery is mentioned almost thirty times in the story-more than ten times in the phrase the black box. Why does the author emphasize this object and its color so strongly?

The author emphasizes the black box so much because it is meant to be a mystery or surprise, like any box appears to people. The fact...
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