Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” begins with a beautiful summer day, but quickly turns dark when the citizens of a small village are forced to take part in a yearly ritual to choose a human sacrifice.  The short story expresses Jackson’s feelings about mankind’s evil side hiding behind traditions and rituals.  Jackson uses symbolism to carry this theme throught out the narrative.  There are many symbols found in the story, but three are more prominent than the others.  The lottery itself, the black box, and even the names of characters are all important symbols.

 The lottery chooses the human sacrifice.  No one in the village remembers the reason for the sacrifice, but they do not want to upset whatever force requires the sacrifices.  The lottery is a symbol of the inhumane rituals that still exist in the world today.

 The black box symbolizes all of the evil acts executed in the past and the ones to come.  The box is painted black, which is the symbol for evil and death.  The current box is described as having been built with parts from the old box, thus continuing its history of death.

 Finally, the characters’ names are symbols.  Mr. Graves hand out the papers to the citizens, making it seem as if he is the one responsible for whose grave it is going to be.  Mr. Summers’ name symbolizes the tradition itself in that it occurs during the summer.  Old Man Warner, as his name indicates, warns the villagers of the unknown danger of stopping the yearly ritual..

 These symbols; the lottery, the black box, and the characters’ names, all help the author drive her theme home.  “The Lottery” tells of a small village that uses a lottery to choose a human sacrifice.  The underlying theme of the work is the horror of the cruelty and inhumane practices that hide behind traditions and rituals still occurring in the world today.