This
paper explains that, although
ritual and
tradition are bound up within Shirley Jackson's American Gothic tale "The
Lottery", the best way to understand these two
motifs is to examine one of the central characters, namely Mr. Summers, the conductor of the lottery. The
question remains as to why Mr. Summers and the rest of the villagers continue the tradition of the lottery for it is obviously somewhat dated and rather redundant; but the writer points out that due to her skill as one of America's most talented storytellers, Shirley Jackson allows the reader to ponder this question alone. The paper concludes that the evils associated with certain cultural manifestations in the book, especially those related to ritual and tradition, can do far more harm than good.
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