The-Lottery-by-Shirley-Jackson

TheLotterybyShirleyJacksonXDD-C-1ThemorningofJune27thwasclearandsunny,withthefreshwarmthofafull-summerday;theflowerswereblossomingprofuselyandthegrasswasrichlygreen.Thepeopleofthevillagebegantogatherinthesquare,betweenthepostofficeandthebank,aroundteno'clock;insometownsthereweresomanypeoplethatthelotterytooktwodaysandhadtobestartedonJune2th.butinthisvillage,wheretherewereonlyaboutthreehundredpeople,thewholelotterytooklessthantwohours,soitcouldbeginatteno'clockinthemorningandstillbethroughintimetoallowthevillagerstogethomefornoondinner.Thechildrenassembledfirst,ofcourse.Schoolwasrecentlyoverforthesummer,andthefeelingoflibertysatuneasilyonmostofthem;theytendedtogathertogetherquietlyforawhilebeforetheybrokeintoboisterousplay.andtheirtalkwasstilloftheclassroomandtheteacher,ofbooksandreprimands.BobbyMartinhadalreadystuffedhispocketsfullofstones,andtheotherboyssoonfollowedhisexample,selectingthesmoothestandroundeststones;BobbyandHarryJonesandDickieDelacroix--thevillagerspronouncedthisnameDellacroy--eventuallymadeagreatpileofstonesinonecornerofthesquareandguardeditagainsttheraidsoftheotherboys.Thegirlsstoodaside,talkingamongthemselves,lookingovertheirshouldersatrolledinthedustorclungtothehandsoftheirolderbrothersorsisters.Soonthemenbegantogather.surveyingtheirownchildren,speakingofplantingandrain,tractorsandtaxes.Theystoodtogether,awayfromthepileofstonesinthecorner,andtheirjokeswerequietandtheysmiledratherthanlaughed.Thewomen,wearingfadedhousedressesandsweaters,cameshortlyaftertheirmenfolk.Theygreetedoneanotherandexchangedbitsofgossipastheywenttojointheirhusbands.Soonthewomen,standingbytheirhusbands,begantocalltotheirchildren,andthechildrencamereluctantly,havingtobecalledfourorfivetimes.BobbyMartinduckedunderhismother'sgraspinghandandran,laughing,backtothepileofstones.Hisfatherspokeupsharply,andBobbycamequicklyandtookhisplacebetweenhisfatherandhisoldestbrother.Thelotterywasconducted--aswerethesquaredances,theteenclub,theHalloweenprogram--byMr.Summers.whohadtimeandenergytodevotetocivicactivities.Hewasaround-faced,jovialmanandheranthecoalbusiness,andpeopleweresorryforhim.becausehehadnochildrenandhiswifewasascold.Whenhearrivedinthesquare,carryingtheblackwoodenbox,therewasamurmurofconversationamongthevillagers,andhewavedandcalled.Littlelatetoday,folks.Thepostmaster,Mr.Graves,followedhim,carryingathree-leggedstool,andthestoolwasputinthecenterofthesquareandMr.Summerssettheblackboxdownonit.Thevillagerskepttheirdistance,leavingaspacebetweenthemselvesandthestool.andwhenMr.Summerssaid,Someofyoufellowswanttogivemeahand?therewasahesitationbeforetwomen.Mr.Martinandhisoldestson,Baxter.cameforwardtoholdtheboxsteadyonthestoolwhileMr.Summersstirredupthepapersinsideit.Theoriginalparaphernaliaforthelotteryhadbeenlostlongago,andtheblackboxnowrestingonthestoolhadbeenputintouseevenbeforeOldManWarner,theoldestmanintown,wasborn.Mr.Summersspokefrequentlytothevillagersaboutmakinganewbox,butnoonelikedtoupsetevenasmuchtraditionaswasrepresentedbytheblackbox.Therewasastorythatthepresentboxhadbeenmadewithsomepiecesoftheboxthathadprecededit,theonethathadbeenconstructedwhenthefirstpeoplesettleddowntomakeavillagehere.Everyyear,afterthelottery,Mr.Summersbegantalkingagainaboutanewbox,buteveryyearthesubjectwasallowedtofadeoffwithoutanything'sbeingdone.Theblackboxgrewshabbiereachyear:bynowitwasnolongerTheLotterybyShirleyJacksonXDD-C-2completelyblackbutsplinteredbadlyalongonesidetoshowtheoriginalwoodcolor,andinsomeplacesfadedorstained.Mr.Martinandhisoldestson,Baxter,heldtheblackboxsecurelyonthestooluntilMr.Summershadstirredthepapersthoroughlywithhishand.Becausesomuchoftheritualhadbeenforgottenordiscarded,Mr.Summershadbeensuccessfulinhavingslipsofpapersubstitutedforthechipsofwoodthathadbeenusedforgenerations.Chipsofwood,Mr.Summershadargued.hadbeenallverywellwhenthevillagewastiny,butnowthatthepopulationwasmorethanthreehundredandlikelytokeepongrowing,itwasnecessarytousesomethingthatwouldfitmoreeasilyintoheblackbox.Thenightbeforethelottery,Mr.SummersandMr.Gravesmadeuptheslipsofpaperandputtheminthebox,anditwasthentakentothesafeofMr.Summers'coalcompanyandlockedupuntilMr.Summerswasreadytotakeittothesquarenextmorning.Therestoftheyear,theboxwasputway,sometimesoneplace,sometimesanother;ithadspentoneyearinMr.Graves'sbarnandanotheryearunderfootinthepostoffice.andsometimesitwassetonashelfintheMartingroceryandleftthere.TherewasagreatdealoffussingtobedonebeforeMr.Summersdeclaredthelotteryopen.Thereweretheliststomakeup--ofheadsoffamilies.headsofhouseholdsineachfamily.membersofeachhouseholdineachfamily.Therewastheproperswearing-inofMr.Summersbythepostmaster,astheofficialofthelottery;atonetime,somepeopleremembered,therehadbeenarecitalofsomesort,performedbytheofficialofthelottery,aperfunctory.tunelesschantthathadbeenrattledoffdulyeachyear;somepeoplebelievedthattheofficialofthelotteryusedtostandjustsowhenhesaidorsangit,othersbelievedthathewassupposedtowalkamongthepeople,butyearsandyearsagothisp3rtoftheritualhadbeenallowedtolapse.Therehadbeen,also,aritualsalute,whichtheoff