A lottery is a game where one has the chance to win a prize by picking a ticket randomly. The process may be used to decide who will fill a vacancy in a company among equally qualified candidates, places in a sports team among equally competing players, or placements in a school or university. The chances of winning a lottery are low. However, if you know the tricks to win, you can increase your odds of success.
The story starts with a small, unnamed American village in June. The locals are gathering for a lottery, an annual ritual that ensures a good harvest. The children play with stones as the adults prepare for the drawing. The old man quotes an old proverb: “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.”
Jackson uses the events of this short story to condemn humankind’s hypocrisy and evil nature. She describes how the villagers are friendly and kind to each other before the lottery begins, but as soon as the results come out they turn against the winner. For instance, Mrs. Delacroix is portrayed as a woman with a quick temper and an iron will. Her action of picking a stone that is so big she can’t lift it expresses her determination.
State governments are often dependent on lotteries for painless revenues, but they rarely have a coherent policy in place to manage them. As a result, lottery officials often run at cross-purposes with the larger public interest. Because lotteries are heavily promoted as a form of gambling, they must focus on persuading consumers to spend money. This can have negative consequences for poor people, problem gamblers, and other vulnerable groups.