Traditions

American author and speaker Scott Berkun once said, “There is nothing wrong with tradition until you want progress: progress demands change, and change demands a reevaluation of what the traditions are for and how they are practiced.” He is suggesting that traditions need to be periodically questioned. Why do traditions exist? What about the tradition is beneficial to the community? Should the community consider changing the way they do things? As illustrated by the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, people in the community are not brave enough to stand up to the long standing tradition. The community draws the slips of papers from the box like they do every year, and continue to proceed with the murdering of whoever draws the unlucky piece of paper. People of communities are often too scared to speak against a tradition they disagree with, even if it ends with tragedy. The narrator indicates theme in the story with words and characters actions.

The villagers clearly do not care much about the tradition yet they do not question the bizarre and brutal ritual of killing of a random, innocent person. Jackson writes, “There was the proper swearing-in of Mr. Summers by the postmaster, as the official of the lottery; at one time, some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort” (252). The tradition is so old that most of the villagers cannot even remember the first initial lottery. “Others believed that he was supposed to walk among the people, but years ago this part of the ritual had been allowed to lapse” (252). The people have differing ideas on the history of the lottery; however, despite their lack of knowledge on the tradition’s origins or the reasoning behind the entire process, they still preserve it as if there is an important and specific reason to continue.

Secondly, the village people do not feel as if they can or should change the yearly custom that has been in place for years. In discussing a seemingly insignificant part of the...