Tradition in Everyday Use and The Lottery Essay - 494 Words

Tradition is an important part of everyones life. Some people follow traditions so deeply rooted in their everyday life that they dont even recognize them as such. Why do you cook rice a certain way? Well, thats the way Grandma always did it. Others hold tradition above anything else. They feel that it is very important to follow these established customs and cannot even imagine rebelling against them although they may be hurtful in some ways. They may not even remember the reason for these customs in the first place. In the short stories Everyday Use, by Alice Walker, and The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, the authors both express their attitudes towards tradition. In Everyday Use the struggle over tradition begins when Dee†¦show more content†¦Johnson has promised to Maggie as a wedding present. These hand sewn quilts were priceless in both womens eyes but for very different reason. Mrs. Robinson looked at them as a part of her life, her everyday use, made from her mother and grandmothers old dresses. Wangero saw them in regards to their monetary value. She tells her mother and Maggie that they do not appreciate them for their value, and they do not understand their heritage. She wants to hang them up on a wall, as if to display her heritage, her familys customs. It is clear that Alice Walker disdains Wangeros attitude towards her past, as does the reader. We know who it is who really does not appreciate their heritage, Wangero. In The Lottery, a small town follows its tradition although it does not even remember how the custom came about in the first place. The town folk do not even remember all the elements of this lottery. The original black box has been lost, but the new one, that is at least 80 years old, was made from parts of the original one. In this grotesque depiction of tradition, it is the custom of the townspeople to sacrifice a member of their community so the corn harvest is plentiful. Even the manner in which the person is killed is bizarre, stoning. No one seems to know why the lottery takes place, but they ridicule other towns that have stopped performing this ritual. Shirley Jackson is clearly letting us know what sheShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson 1325 Words   |  6 PagesIn â€Å"The Lottery†, Jackson wrote about a special tradition of a small village. June 27th was warm and sunny, and it gave the impression like nothing could possibly go wrong. Everyone knows the lottery as an exciting thing, and everybody wants to win, but this lottery is unlike any other. This lottery was actually the tradition of stoning of an innocent villager; that year it was Tessie Hutchinson. Though the horrific ending was not expected, throughout the story Jackson gave subtle hints that thisRead More Theme of Tradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson Americans day after day live much of their lives following time-honored traditions that are passed down from one generation to another. From simple everyday cooking and raising children, to holidays and other family rituals, tradition plays a significant role on how they go by there everyday lives. In Shirley Jacksons short story, The Lottery, the citizens of a small farming town follow one such tradition. A point is made regarding human nature in relationRead MoreSymbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson879 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† is an unusual story of a town caught in a trap of following tradition. Shirley Jackson uses many symbols in the story to relate to the theme. 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Throughout the story the three main symbols of how people blindly follow senseless traditions were the lottery itself, the color black, and the hesitation that people had towardsRead MoreEssay on Social Hysteria in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery575 Words   |  3 PagesSocial Hysteria in The Lottery Tradition is a central theme in Shirley Jackons short story The Lottery. Images such as the black box and characters such as Old Man Warner, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Hutchinson display to the reader not only the tenacity with which the townspeople cling to the tradition of the lottery, but also the wavering support of it by others. In just a few pages, Jackson manages to examine the sometimes long forgotten purpose of rituals, as well as the inevitable questioningRead MoreThe Lottery Short Story Analysis1122 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery†, a short story by Shirley Jackson reflects humans deepest nature on tradition. Jackson uses routines as a way of illustrating the festival like qualities of the annual lottery. The setting of vibrant colors in the short story conveys a peaceful tone.The characters are portrayed as loving and caring. The ideas of a festival like a lottery, a homey setting and, the peoples actions all help develop the bigger idea. The people and tradition Shirley Jackson in her short story the â€Å"TheRead More Analysis of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay693 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson was written in 1948. The story takes place in a village square of a town on June 27th. The author does not use much emotion in the writing to show how the barbaric act that is going on is look at as normal. This story is about a town that has a lottery once a year to choose who should be sacrificed, so that the town will have a plentiful year for growing crops. Jackson has many messages about human nature in this shortRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1380 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† Would it feel good to the win the lottery? When people win the lottery, they are filled with excitement and joy, but this lottery is one that people would rather have no chance of winning. In Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery† the members of a small town gather each year to hold a special event to see what â€Å"lucky† towns member will win the annual lottery. Each year the families of the town meet in the square and the head of each household draws a slip of paper to determineRead MoreEssay Tradition or Cruelty in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1147 Words   |  5 Pageshave many traditions. These traditions all have certain meanings behind them; however, many of those meanings tend to be lost or forgotten. The holiday of Thanksgiving was originally a celebration to commemorate the arrival of the pilgrims in the new world and their first interactions with the Native Americans. So then why is it still celebrated today? There is no actual purpose i n today’s society to observe this custom.   It has just continued to be observed because of past traditions.   There isRead MoreThe Theme Of Tradition In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1638 Words   |  7 PagesDEATH BY TRADITION Henry James once said, â€Å"It takes an endless amount of history to make a little tradition.† In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson deals with the insignificant nature of humanity when it comes to traditions. Today when one thinks about winning, one does not think about the community or close relatives; one thinks about how one is going to spend the money received. However, in Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery† represents a human sacrifice by means of stoning with