Syed Ahmed
Professor Storms
ENC 1101
7 February 2013
The Sacrificial Lamb
The connation of the word lottery is positive but in the short story by Shirley Jackson changes the reader’s notion through vivid details which depicts the opposite side of the spectrum. Societies grips on to cultural norms and customs to preserve a piece of history or to trace roots. But when the fads and rituals serve no purpose and became toxic than citizens are morally obligated to voice opposition. One citizen can not cause a wave of change; a collection of voices can, as Margaret Mead elegantly states “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” The villages are morally obligated to speak up against sacrificing of an innocent life and the lack action places the villagers at fault.
All societies have rituals and ceremonies that have an ancient history passed down from generation to generation that hold value and substance. The history for the lottery is non-extent and to support the point oldest man in the village Warner does not why the lottery is conducted and the rationale is “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.” Objects, tools, pieces that are utilized to conduct significant ceremonies are kept with respect. The main tool to conduct the lottery is the black box which is describes as “grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in