Lottery is a game in which tokens are distributed or sold and the winners are selected by chance. It is a popular pastime among many people in the United States and contributes billions of dollars to state budgets each year. Some people play for fun and others believe it is their ticket to a better life. However, there are some important facts to consider before playing the lottery.
In the early post-World War II period, when states were rapidly expanding their array of social safety nets, many politicians saw the lottery as a way to do so without having to raise taxes on working-class and middle-class families. But the idea was flawed. It was a case of “state gambling on the backs of poor people” as author and historian Adam Cohen writes. Ultimately, that arrangement collapsed as states were forced to raise taxes to pay for the social services they had been providing.
The lottery has a long history, and it was first recorded in the Low Countries in the 15th century. Various towns held public lotteries to raise money for town fortifications and to help the poor. Later, the lottery was introduced to America by British colonists. State legislatures began regulating the games in the 18th and 19th centuries, and they became increasingly popular.
When a lottery advertises a massive jackpot, it’s important to understand how the prize pool is calculated. A winner doesn’t receive the entire sum in one payment; instead, it is paid out over a span of decades. If the winner dies before all the annual payments are made, the remainder becomes part of their estate.
The story in this article, “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, is an example of a literary lottery. It illustrates some of the ways that a writer can use characterization methods to reveal an overall character and theme in the story. The setting of the story is an important part of its characterization. The actions of the characters in the story are also critical to its characterization. The setting and the characters’ actions allow us to understand the plot of the story and how it ends.
The events of this short story highlight humankind’s evil nature. Jackson uses many different characterization methods in her story to show that humankind is capable of doing bad things to other humans. Her story also shows how a person can be deceived by other people. In this way, Jackson’s story illustrates a number of different aspects of the lottery.