The Lottery

"Pack of crazy fools. Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be waitng to go back to living in caves... Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' There's always been a lottery." (Jackson, 217) Said the oldest man in town- Old Man Warner. To me this, along with the last sentence of the story, describes what I take from this story. It is probably all about where I am in my life right now, but I see a need for growth, but only when it is all too painful to bare witness to. Old Man Warner's experience isn't described in the story, so it is unknown if anyone was lost in his family due to the lottery, but he is steadfast it is the only way to be, basically because it is the way it has always been. "It's worked this far, why wouldn't it continue to work?" type of attitude. To me, a lot of people that age have that same feeling, don't fix what isn't broken.

But then there are those with a hope of "different". It means different things to different folks, which is what makes the world go round. At what point does it mean it should be tomorrow the way it is today? At what point should society settle for what has always been, rather than taking a moment to step out? Only when the pain is great? (although there are some people who say that's the only time for change) This story, to me, is a fight between generations - the auther obviously feels as though something needs to change. Mrs. Hutchinson feels the same way, but only after the lottery has moved from a community even to a tragic personal experience for her. " 'It isn't fair, it isn't right,' Mrs. Hutchinson screamed" (Jackson, 218)