Shirley Jackson's work, “The Lottery,” is saturated with the use of symbolism. Symbolism is practiced to represent something else. It helps build the meaning and feeling of a story by leading the reader to make connections between the literary work and the real world. It can sometimes be very difficult to find the basic connotation that the author is trying to convey. Symbols can be very unmistakable or cruelly conceptual, which pushes the audience to expand the horizon of their minds. Each icon identified in “The Lottery” can be interpreted as representing several different things. As a result, there are at least three different categories of symbols used by Jackson in this story alone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Taking the lottery itself as an illustration, there are at least two distinct points of view that can be represented by this single object. First, it could convey the notion of government corruption. In this story, the lottery is clearly premeditated. There are guidelines and expectations that must be obeyed at all costs, just as we are now discovering in government. Every day, week, and year, Americans are forced to perform, vote, and undertake tasks that go against their core beliefs for the good of the government and its officials. Fearful of opposing the status quo, more and more laws and regulations are made which, in turn, corrupt the nation. This correlates to the theme of being forced to do heinous things because higher authorities come to where you are required to carry them out. Immediately, this could be related to the movie The Purge. Mass anarchy has spread throughout the country because crime has been legalized. Who said it was okay? Only government leaders, but they were offered protection, just like Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves were in the story. They had power within their community and were not required to participate; They got immunity! Not a single person, despite their false facade, would choose to enter the lottery under normal circumstances. However, because these people were unwittingly driven to support this occasion, they formed a mental barrier that caused them to consider it acceptable and ordinary to perform this type of torment. The higher-ups were looking out for their best interests, right? They were brainwashed! It became clear that we could break this barricade by putting someone in danger. When Mrs. Hutchinson faced danger, she immediately began blaming others and gave up the lottery. Her husband's response was to keep quiet. He kept going through the motions because it was the right thing to do. The administration told him he had to do it, so he did his part, without hesitation, even when things got difficult. The next element whose symbolism can be attributed to the lottery is community traditions. The individuals who live in this village no longer see the bad ritual taking place under their noses. When the annual lottery date approaches, people participate in amazement because of what is expected of them and what they are used to. No reaction, contemplation, emotion, etc. is not manifested by these people. They modestly interrupt their daily lives to pay attention to the wrath of the lottery. Do they not see the evil in their actions? How can you get used to such a horrible thing?? You would think that this would be usual only for this colony; however, the lottery takes place in the villages all around them. Some even resume the ceremonial custom by testifying that the neighboring places, which exonerated the incident, were wrong to do so. Finally, a man justifies the event by stating: “There has always been a lottery. » Just because something has always taken the place, is it true? Why doesn't someone stand up for what they know is right? Over time, does evil become true? “Everyone is doing it, so we can’t be left out or look different,” you can almost hear them whispering. This is what is familiar; this is what is now expected. We must weigh the morals of the traditions we follow while analyzing Jackson's work. Linked to this notion is the theme of blindly following tradition. Did people even know why they were entering the lottery? There was even a reference made by a character that suggested he didn't know where, when, or why the lottery started. However, no one questioned this suspicious act! There is no reason why the lottery is still in practice. They continue to have it because they always have. It seems that the lottery is the basis of this city. This becomes their justification for their actions. They don't want to be wrong, so they don't question motives or blame tradition. These two views of symbolism are both related to the use of symbolism from an object in the story. Much more often, Jackson uses objects to connect themes and express feelings about the contexts of his story. Topics like this include things like the black box. These artifacts of the story are meticulously crafted to contribute to the themes of the story. They are all united with a section of the world that leads the reader to form conclusions, questions and associations. The black box embodies the country's corrupt laws and the distorted relationship people have with them. The color brings a menacing mood to the reader. After assessing the situation, we can realize that the fate of the city is in the box. The pieces of paper that reveal someone's fate reside there. If the lottery is the government, then the box must be the decrees. It is a rule and tradition of the lottery that this box is used. Just as the government puts in place regulations to meet its agendas, the box is used to fulfill the lottery's agenda. Without the box, a controlling and regulated sense would not be recognized. If the lottery is made up of traditions, then the box would denote the values ​​of the people. It is mentioned in the story that the box was withering. With each passing year, the box has more and more chips. This is linked to the fact that people's values ​​were "fragmented" for the benefit of the lottery. With each passing year, people allow more perversion into their lives. Not only can you use objects as symbols, but you can also contribute effectively to a piece by using characters as similar tools. The characters of the Delacroix family, for example, point to the church. Their name literally means the cross which brings religious thoughts into the mix of Jackson's writing. Appearing again and again, this family is everyone's friend, it seems. They are mixed with the rest of the community, but they follow the traditions and customs established by the officials even when their friends are put in danger. “Are they real friends?” » one might ask. This leads to think that the Church can be considered as a refuge occupiedthrough positivity for the community, but that it can become detrimental due to external immorality. In this case, corruption was disguised as tradition. Ironic, due to the fact that traditions are usually impeccable undertakings that transmit joy to all who experience them. Perhaps you could find the representation of death in Mr. Graves. He is the leader of this extravagant event. He doesn't play a significant role in this story, but like the real Death, he presides over people, lurking in the background, seeking whom he will devour. In his town he wields the power of postmaster and he uses that power to give Mr. Summers the power to run the lottery. This ties in with the theme that society is casting their sins on the one who bears all the consequences. Society is purging itself of its wrongdoing and still looking for someone to blame. In the story, it's Tessie Hutchinson. She finally meets her destiny. Mr. Graves could be considered the author of this poor result, for without him the proper authority would not be given. Without him, there would be no death! As hard as it may be to believe, there is actually another type of symbol that can be identified; numbers can be used to signify deeper meaning. The stool on which the black box of tragedy is placed has three legs. Since the box is a representation of demise and sadness, the three legs could each be a part of the Christian theory of the Divine Trinity. This concept is true to be three in one. This can be understood as the crown of the stool that connects each leg together. Once again, Jackson uses his symbolism as the key to religion. One leg would be considered the Father while the other two would be considered the Son and the Holy Spirit. If one believes in God, he will know that the Trinity embraces all the supremacy of the earth. Everything lies in his hands. This can be reestablished by the way the stool contains the essential element of the lottery, the black box. Additionally, Luck is brought to attention when Old Man Warner expresses his age. He reached the age of seventy-seven. Most people understand that luck is associated with the number seven. Throughout American civilization and tradition, seven is the luckiest number of all. Because of this detail, one can frequently find sevens depicted with four-leaf clovers around St. Patrick's Day. In the story, there is not just one seven declared but two. This instantly doubles the extent of the blessing that Old Man Warner has. Furthermore, he enthusiastically admits to having been lucky in the draw. The odds have been in his favor over the years. He was able to grow up to a mature age without ever being affected by the lottery. This highlights the kind of luck this man possesses. He was lucky not to suffer the consequences of such a horrible event. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Optimistically, one is now easily able to distinguish the different styles of symbols that can be unmasked during the course of a story. Likewise, be vulnerable to the different alternatives of what each thing could represent. As long as verification in the text can support opinions, no one should be concerned with expressing what they sincerely believe is indicated. Jackson used objects, people, and figures to trigger internal reactions and shape the essence of his story. Each gives significant weight to the themes exposed in her work, and she uses her symbols to unveil religious issues,..