The Lottery
...low tradition without even knowing why the tradition exists. In paragraph thirty-two, lines seven and eight, Old Man Warner states,”’ There’s always been a lottery’ he said petulantly.” In this statement, the reader sees the most ignorant of all excuses for doing anything, because it’s always been done. The people of the town don't even stop to think about why they are killing someone. Shirley Jackson exaggerates the situation in order to show the absurdity of doing something just because it has always been done. The Townspeople, even family members, show no problem in killing friends or family. The townsfolk actually condemn other villages for breaking away from tradition, calling them a "pack of fools," without really offering any reason why. And when one of their own people questions the traditions that they all follow, she is ignored and is put to death in the traditional manner. In paragraph thirty-one lines one through fourteen” Old Man Warner snorted. ‘Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’s all be eating chicken weed and acorns.”’ In this passag...