Symbolism in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Essay Sample
Symbolism is a construct the writer Shirley Jackson doesn’t seem to take lightly. Her short narrative “The Lottery” is pullulating with objects and constructs that don’t show the reader their true significance without a small excavation. Three of the symbols that are really of import to the narrative are the black box. the rocks. and the pieces of paper.
The black box keeping the lottery tickets is a symbol that holds a batch of enigma in the narrative. We don’t truly cognize what is traveling on or the intent of the narrative throughout. and the box represents this. It besides serves as a symbol for decease. Black is frequently associated with decease and immorality. which is how the narrative ends. Besides. the box plays on the thought of a coffin keeping dead people. One of the individuals at the lottery are traveling to decease. and the black box reflects this.
The rocks are a symbol for tradition. Rocks are ancient and remind one of a simpler. more basic clip. The traditions that the people follow are barbarian in nature and have been around for a really long clip.
Another noticeable symbol is that of the pieces of paper. They represent the breakability and infirmity of life. This can be seen in the narrative sebaceous cyst Jackson says “he dropped all the documents but those on to the land. where the zephyr caught them and lifted them off” ( Jackson 410 ) . It shows how the people’s lives are merely like the documents. insignificant.
Jackson genuinely shows how symbolism can add much deepness to a short narrative. Without it. “The Lottery” would look to be nil more than an entertaining enigma narrative.
