In "The Lottery," Shirley Jackson uses symbolism to make us aware of the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The story starts off on a beautiful summer day in a small town with a population of only three hundred. The author describes the day as very euphoric, but contrasts between the atmosphere of the town, and the atmosphere of the people gathered in the square. The atmosphere is subdued, where the children are …showed first 75 words of 435 total…

…showed last 75 words of 435 total…the pieces of paper that are lifted away by the breeze is not only symbolic of the ease with which life can be taken, but is also symbolic of civilizations that were doomed to eventual failure. We see that even as Tessie is being stoned to death does she not question the reasoning behind the lottery, but why it should be her that has to die. She has become the scapegoat for all ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**