Saved Papers

Save papers so you can find them more easily!

Join Now

Get instant access to over 100,000 papers.

Join Now!

Theme

In "The Lottery," Shirley Jackson reveals one of the most basic facets of humanity, the need for a scapegoat. Mrs. Hutchinson, having been designated the recipient of the lottery, becomes the scapegoat for the village. The tradition of the lottery is analogous to religious traditions because it is passed on at an early age, people rarely openly question it, and it focuses on a scapegoat.

Religious traditions are passed on to children at an early age, just as tiny Davy Hutchinson is taught about the lottery before he will understand the events that take place. Children and parents alike take part in the stoning, much in the same way that parents teach their children to follow their religious traditions. Children learn by example and are eager to please their parents. Even before the adults, "The children had stones already, and someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles" (79).

Most people will not suggest outright that the lottery might be immoral. For the most part,......


View the rest of this paper...

Approximate Word Count: 339
Approximate Pages: 2 (250 words per double-spaced page)

Why should you join Frat Files?

  • - It's safe, secure, and private.
  • - Instant access to over 100,000 papers. New papers are added hourly.
  • - Fast and reliable customer support.

Credit Card

Bank Account

PayPal

Similar Essays

  1. Dja Clines' Article, ?Theme In Genesis 1-11'

    DJA Clines' article, ?Theme in Genesis 1-11'. ... Thus, his main thesis is to enquire
    about the theme of a unit of Pentateuchal text Gen 1-11. ...

  2. Ts Eliot Mood And Theme

    Ts Eliot Mood And Theme. TS Eliot -mood and theme WITH REFERENCE TO THE
    LOVE SONG OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK AND PREDULES. DISCUSS HOW ...

  3. Kite Runner Theme

    Kite runner theme. The theme of strength of character is the most prevalent theme. ...
    The theme of the resilience of the human spirit is also an important idea. ...

  4. Romeo And Juliet: The Theme Of Death

    Romeo And Juliet: The Theme Of Death. ... The first instance of the theme death was
    in act 3 when Marcutio challenged Tybalt to a sword fight. ...

  5. The Theme Of Sin In The Scarle

    The Theme Of Sin In The Scarle. In Nathaniel Hawthorne ... the novel. Each theme
    is very important to the overall effect of the novel. In ...