The Lottery

In this blog I am going to sort of combine questions #4 and 6. 4 asks about the significance of the fact that the original box and some of the earlier traditions being lost. 6 asks what the story reveals about human nature.
The fact that the original box has been lost along with many of the earlier traditions verifies the fact that this custom is fairly old. Not to mention the fact that you don't hear of stoning people as a homicide technique much anymore. These facts certainly leave the reader to believe that the village people may not be as serious or as dedicated to the ritual as they once were. The purpose of the ritual (which apparently has something to do with corn..?) may have even been lost as well. In fact, the only really concrete evidence that shows the townspeople really believe in the ritual comes from Old Man Warner. He criticizes the people of the neighboring towns stating that "there's always been a lottery." Though this may be true, it makes the reader wonder that just because there has always been one, does that mean there has always been a need for one? This relates the question #6 because the people are just continuing with the tradition- not really having any other reason to besides the fact that There has always been one. People are ignorant. They do things out of blind faith; not thinking for themselves. In fact, even though the people of the town know that someone is going to suffer from this lottery, they continue to practice it. It has been so long that people forget how the ceremony is even supposed to go, but they know that either way, it "needs" to happen. The only person in the whole story who seems to reject the idea of the lottery is Mrs. Hutchinson- but only after her family (eventually her) is chosen for the lottery that year.