A lottery is a gambling game where participants pay a small amount to have a chance to win a prize, such as a large sum of money. The participants may either select their own numbers or have them assigned at random. In some cases, the prize money is donated to good causes. For example, a percentage of the revenue earned by a state lottery is spent on park services and education.
In Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery, the people participate in a lottery ritual that includes drawing lots from a box. A man called Old Man Warner is a conservative force in the village who quotes a local proverb, “Lottery in June, corn will be heavy soon,” and suggests that human sacrifice will improve crop growth. He is also a strong advocate for tradition, which is why the villagers keep participating in the lottery year after year.
The story reveals how some oppressive norms and cultures seem to be unable to change despite the hopes of liberalization. This is reflected in Mrs. Hutchinson’s death, as well as in the general way that human beings treat each other and disregard each other’s needs based on culture and beliefs.
State lotteries are generally considered to be a form of “painless taxation.” The state legislates a monopoly for itself; establishes a state agency or public corporation to run the lottery (as opposed to licensing a private firm in return for a share of the profits); begins operations with a modest number of relatively simple games; and, due to continual pressure to generate additional revenues, progressively expands the lottery’s offerings.