To a novice reader, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" appears simply as a curious tale with a shocking ending. After repetitive reading of Jackson's tale, it is clear that each sentence is written for a unique purpose, often using symbolism. His use of symbols not only foreshadows his surprising and disturbing ending, but also allows the reader to evaluate the community's evil traditional rituals. She may be commenting on the season of the year and the "richly green" grass or playing with the meaning of the characters' names, but each statement applies to the meaning and lesson behind her story. When it comes to the symbolism of objects, the most The “black box” from which names are taken is prominent and often mentioned (Jackson 573). The box itself represents the plight of the townspeople; being black in color refers to their impending death. After many years of use, the box is in very poor condition and described as “shabby” (Jackson 573). In this sense, the splintering of wood and peeling paint parallels the breakdown of tradition since what was once a great honor is now a feared consequence. Jackson's mention of replacing old wood shavings with scraps of paper symbolizes the increasing loss of tradition and the emergence of new methods. Jackson uses the conductor of the lottery, Mr. Summers, along with Mr. Graves, who oversees the lottery, together to symbolize life versus death, new ideas. compared to traditional methods. More simply, Mr. Summers represents the season in which the lottery takes place, June 27. Summer is known for being full of life and growth, which is very similar to Mr. Summer's personality. He is described as a happy, jovial man wearing a clean white shirt and jeans. Mr. Graves' name, on the other hand, refers to...... middle of paper......before they were born. Adam and Eve questioned God's authority even though they knew no other way of life than to obey Him. A common conception of the townspeople's desire to continue participating is the opportunity to “release repressed cruelties” (Nebeker 6). Even though most of them realize the horror of their methods, it is proof that "humanity's inclination toward violence eclipses society's need for civilized traditions" (Griffen 5). After reading "The Lottery", it is obvious that Jackson uses symbolism to foreshadow the finale's impending death. Another significant use of symbolism is the repeated connection between the storyline, characters and objects and their reference to Christ and Christianity. No one can decipher every intentional use of symbolism involved in Jackson's classic fiction, but that's also its appeal..