The short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is an allegory that uses symbolism to convey the idea that blindly following tradition can have negative consequences.
The title of the story itself is an allegory, as the lottery does not actually involve winning a prize. Instead, it is a ritual in which the villagers draw slips of paper from a black box. The person who draws the slip with the marked dot is stoned to death by the rest of the village as a sacrifice to ensure a good harvest.
One of the main symbols in the story is the black box, which represents tradition and the weight it holds in the village. The box is old and tattered, but it is still used for the lottery each year despite the fact that no one remembers the original reason for the ritual. This symbolizes the way that traditions are often blindly followed without questioning their purpose or significance.
Another symbol is the slips of paper, which represent the individual villagers and their willingness to go along with the tradition of the lottery. Even though they know that the lottery could result in their own death, they still participate without hesitation. This symbolizes the dangers of blindly following tradition and the consequences that can result when people do not think for themselves.
The character of Tessie Hutchinson is also an allegory. She represents the common person who is caught up in the tradition and does not question it until it is too late. When her husband and children draw slips without the marked dot, Tessie is relieved and believes that they are safe. However, when she draws the marked slip, she becomes panicked and pleads for mercy, showing that it is only when the tradition directly affects her that she starts to question it.
In conclusion, "The Lottery" is an allegory that uses symbolism to explore the dangers of blindly following tradition. The black box, slips of paper, and character of Tessie Hutchinson all represent different aspects of this theme, ultimately showing the negative consequences that can result when people do not think for themselves.
