Symbols and Symbolism in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Playing â€Å"The Lottery† can be Dangerous: Symbolism in Shirley Jackson’s Short Story When most people play the lottery today, they think about having wealth. Generally, people who win are happy about it whether they win one dollar or a million. The lottery in our society has grown to support education and it is often worth several million dollars. Usually, the winner of the lottery gains a lot of recognition for the money they win. But what would happen if there was a small town where people held a yearly lottery in which the â€Å"winner† was the member of the town who was not sacrificed? This question is answered in Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery. † In reading this story, and reading literary criticism about the story, there were many symbols and much symbolism in this story. 1 Biographical Analysis Shirley Jackson was the only daughter of Leslie and Geraldine Jackson. Born in 1916, Jackson grew up in Rochester New York and went to Brighton High School. Eventually, she would graduate from Syracuse University with her bachelor’s degree (GradeSaver) and marry Stanley Edgar Hyman, also a writer. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbols and Symbolism in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page