A lottery is a game of chance in which winnings are awarded to participants by means of a process that relies entirely on chance. It is a common method of allocating resources in a limited environment such as housing units, sports team positions, kindergarten placements at a school or university and many others. A person has to purchase a ticket in order to participate in a lottery. It is a form of gambling and may be legal or illegal depending on its purpose and whether it is run by the state or federal government.
The word “lottery” derives from the Dutch noun lot, meaning fate or fortune. It has been used since the Middle Ages in various contexts including land distribution, taxation and public goods and services. Lotteries are often criticized for being unequal because the winner is chosen by random chance and a significant proportion of people do not win.
In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson demonstrates the problems of unrestrained democracy and small-town life. She criticizes the villagers for their blind loyalty to the lottery. She also points out the hypocrisy of the lottery’s outcome and shows that if you do not stand up for what is right, even the most peaceful and happy-looking place can turn against you. The story can be studied for symbolism and literary analysis. You can look for hidden symbols in the black box, the stones and Tessie Hutchinson’s behavior. You can also analyze the role of chance in the story.