Symbolism in the Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Symbolism in the Short Story - Essay Example Mr. Summer, who runs a coal business, represents life, while Mr.Grave symbolizes death. The lottery itself symbolizes the cruel traditions that the society holds. The author suggests a three legged stool that the black box is set upon. From the story death is symbolized by the black box, and the black dot on the slip of paper. This paper shall major on the symbols of tradition and culture that everyone is used to thus symbolism has been used in The Lottery. The Lottery, is a story of a small village destroying members of its community who cannot question the rituals of their tradition. The author indicates that members of the community would meet every year for this ritual. The author uses this setting to outline the cruel traditions that the society still holds on that is dangerous to human life. This ritual takes away one member to serve as a ransom for the remaining members of the community. From the story, Tessie suffers as a scapegoat being stoned, and her blood used to purify a nd protect the remaining part of the community. A ritual was practised yearly with human blood as a libation in these ceremonies. This indicates how different traditions sacrifice human effort, vision, and even life so as to survive and be preserved. The author has used this setting to describe how death is caused by culture and tradition. One loses life for the safety of others. Secondly black has been used majorly in the story. Black is associated with sorrow, tears, disappointment, and other negative issues. The author has used black color in the story to symbolize death. From the story, black box is set on a three legged stool (Jackson 7). Death itself is the black box resting on stool. Literally a stool has four legs, but the author presents a three legged stool, which shows one of the legs is missing. The black box set on a stool that is missing one leg indicates the purpose of death, to destroy one of the members of the community. The author indicates that Mr. Summer ran the coal business. Coal is a black mineral which is related to the black box that Mr. Summer carried. The author describes the killing of community members as a coal business. The coal industry has been used symbolically to indicate death practice of people. This box, the author suggests that it was old (Jackson 8). This symbolizes tradition, and the duration this practice has taken. The box has been carrying slips of black papers. Mr. Summer who hasn’t b been in charge for the ritual practice is related to the coal business of death. At the end every ritual, one member would be stoned leaving the society as the stool without one leg. The author has used the black color to indicate death. Member of the community that picked a black dotted slip of paper was entitled to death. The author describes Tessie, who picked the dotted paper that led her to death. She was stoned by everybody present regardless of her complains or cries. The black spot on the paper symbolized death. Once a p erson picked it,, he or she was entitled to death. The author suggests the craftiness of the traditions to trap human beings causing pain and misery. The author indicates Tessie, as an example suffering as a scapegoat to save the rest. She complains saying it was not fair, but that did not protect her from the stoning crowd. This therefore, shows that the author has used black color to symbolize death and tradition. The author has used names symbolically in the Lottery in describing the characters. From the story Mr. Summer has