The Lottery – A Book Review

The lottery is a form of gambling where players place bets on numbers or symbols. The prizes are often cash, but some lotteries offer goods and services such as vacations or cars. In the United States, lotteries are generally run by state governments. Many states have laws regarding how the proceeds of a lottery are spent. Many states use lotteries to raise money for public usage such as road construction, schools and public buildings. In the past, lotteries were also used to raise funds for wars and other military purposes.

The earliest recorded evidence of lotteries is a keno slip from the Chinese Han Dynasty from 205 to 187 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans used lotteries as a way to distribute property or slaves. Lotteries were popular in colonial-era America, and they were frequently used to finance public works projects such as paving streets, building wharves and churches. Lotteries were even used to help fund the Revolutionary War, despite Protestant prohibitions against gambling.

Lotteries can be addictive. They encourage people to believe that they can overcome their poverty or hardship with the winning of a large sum of money. This obsession with the dream of becoming rich has coincided with a decline in job security and pensions, which have made it harder for people to make ends meet. While most people play the lottery for the money, some believe that it is a socially responsible way to give back to society. Some of these organizations also donate a portion of their profits to charities.

One of the most important ideas in the story The Lottery is that of scapegoating. The town of Lottery believes that stoning one person to death yearly purges the community of evil and allows for the good to flourish. The story is also about the importance of traditions and how these impact our lives. The setting in this story is very important, as it gives the reader a sense of where and when the story takes place.

Characterization is an essential part of a short story, and the author uses several methods to develop the characters. One method is establishing the character’s mood and how that affects his or her actions. The use of dialogue is another technique that helps to develop the characters. In this story, the author does not use many dialogues, but the few that do are very effective in revealing the personalities of the characters.

Besides the above-mentioned techniques, there are other important aspects that must be considered when analyzing The Lottery. The author’s use of language and diction are crucial to the success of this short story. For example, Jackson writes that “The children assembled first, of course” (Jackson 1). This wording demonstrates how the townspeople view this event as a family-friendly affair. It also makes it seem as though the children will always be first in line to participate. This is an excellent way to build a sense of expectation and tension for the story.