Podcast
Questions and Answers
What do stones symbolize in 'The Lottery'?
What do stones symbolize in 'The Lottery'?
Human violence and human's instinct toward primitive violence.
What is represented by the black box in 'The Lottery'?
What is represented by the black box in 'The Lottery'?
Symbol of tradition.
What does the three-legged stool symbolize?
What does the three-legged stool symbolize?
The trinity.
What does the lottery symbolize?
What does the lottery symbolize?
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Who does Mr. Graves symbolize?
Who does Mr. Graves symbolize?
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What does the name Mrs. Delacroix translate to?
What does the name Mrs. Delacroix translate to?
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Study Notes
Symbols in "The Lottery"
- Stones: Represent human violence and instinctual tendencies toward primitive aggression.
- Black Box: Symbolizes tradition, with its worn appearance indicating the weight and importance of longstanding customs.
- Three-legged Stool: Represents the concept of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Its irony lies in supporting the black box, which signifies the continuum of time — past, present, and future.
- The Lottery: Embodies the notion of unchanging traditions and the blind acceptance of societal customs without questioning their morality.
- Mr. Graves: Serves as a symbol of death or the grim reaper, responsible for delivering the box that determines who faces execution by stoning.
- Mrs. Delacroix: Her name means "of the cross," symbolizing the idea of sacrifice, where one individual is sacrificed for the perceived welfare of the group, reflecting a disturbing acceptance of violence in the name of community.
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Description
Explore the significant symbols in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery.' This quiz covers key symbols such as stones, the black box, and the three-legged stool, revealing their deeper meanings and cultural implications. Understand how these symbols contribute to the themes of violence and tradition in the story.
