The lotteryAlthough “The Lottery” is to the outcome, I could not find any conflicts easily in the story. It shows that life and death depend on luck and accident like a lottery, without any fixed unfolding plot. However, “The Lottery” talks about ‘The evil’ which exists in inner heart, and shows this story deeply concerns human’s life and death. Even without having structure of conflict, fixed plot and specific character, still this story concentrate on main purpose and handles plot and character skillfully.The situations in “The Lottery” are ironic. I guessed that there is nothing wrong and that everyone is fine in the beginning of the story.The story starts by describing the nice day, and the people of the small town looks happy and going on just like other days. The children arrive first and then they gather stones. It shocked me most when I see ending part in the novel. When people are assembled on the square, I thought this lottery involves winning something such as money or prize because the atmosphere is very good in the town. I could notice this ritual had been exist long time ago, through the oldest man, Warner. But he just complained about the changing of the traditional box. Before starting the lottery, Mrs. Hutchinson appears on the square. The people of the village are pleased at her good-humoredly and cheerfully. The lottery had hardly started when the crowd becomes strictly quiet. As soon as the result comes out, not only her neighbor but also her family throws stones at her. It was shocking that simple, enthusiastic, atmosphere differs with real life. There is often a struggle to the question as to whether a man is inherently good or bad. I wonder about human’s instinct.The Shirley Jackson tried to point out ‘The evil’ which hides behind the human essence that could make throwing stones, making sacrifice tradition. It is prosecuting human’s existence abominable. Which hides behind social illusion that. Sacrifice for happiness of majority can be reasonable. Anyway, she emphasize that the ritual is strict, even they forgot the way of ceremony and people in the village still knows that how to throw stones to neighbor.
