The Lottery -- Themes

I have identified a few themes in "The Lottery". Some are blind leading the blind, self-preservation or self-interest, traditions and rituals, sacrifice and superstitions and ironies.

1) The first theme I have identified: Blind leading the blind
The villagers, in order to have good harvest, actually held lotteries and stoned people to death who picked the unlucky lot. Why did they do so? One point is that their ancestors have been doing this for decades, or even centuries, just a long period of time. They just follow blindly. This is just like the blind leading the blind. The ancestors just had a superstition (refer to point 5) that stoning someone to death would let them have good harvest. Are they sure? They were just like the 'blind'. Then, the descendants. They just followed blindly. Isn't this just the blind leading the blind?

2) The second theme I have identified: Self-preservation or self-interest
Another reason why they have this lottery is to 'preserve' themselves. Just for good harvest, they can actually just stone someone to death. The villagers want to preserve themselves. Have a better harvest, earn more by selling more in the market or having more to eat, and they are happy. They just look out for their own interest. I conclude from the above two points that the villagers that they are very simple-minded. All they want is good harvest. Sadly, they seek for it the wrong way.

3) The third theme I have identified: Traditions and Rituals
Traditions and rituals can be deadly. One example, the lottery. However, not all traditions are bad. Is giving angbows during Chinese New Year bad? In one of my previous posts on lottery, I have said that I opine that bad traditions are traditions that involves sacrifice or injury to one, especially one who could be so close to you.

4) The fourth theme I have identified: Sacrifice
In my above point, I have opined that bad traditions are those that involves sacrifice. Sacrificing someone in your village for a probable good harvest, is this fair to the person being sacrificed? I know, in a sacrifice, there is nothing known as fairness. There is no fairness in sacrifices. But, this lottery, this sacrifice, is it even necessary?

5) The fifth theme I have identified: Superstitions
The lottery, superstition or not? This question is subjective. To the villagers and the ancestors of them, the lottery is not a superstition at all! It is a fact, the truth. To many of us, we would feel that this is obviously a superstition. Let me give an example, one very famous superstition amongst my peers is something known as Friday the 13th. This day, falls on a Friday and the 13th of the month. For example, this year (2010), August 13th falls on a Friday. It is an example of Friday the 13th. It is known that on this day, unlucky things would happen to all. Some unlucky things just coincidently happen on that day and people would believe it. Bringing it back to the lottery, the villagers might have experienced good harvest the year they stoned someone, so they continued it. But, the good harvest could have been caused by other factors. Am I right?

Thanks for reading my long post. I apologise if this was too long. It just came naturally to me. :)

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