Tradition Triggers Tragedy
Traditions are blueprints for our beliefs, values, memories, relationships, and overall, our bond to society. They give a sense of belonging and can bring families together and reconnect friends. Not all traditions are healthy though. Both “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost reveal the dangers in following tradition blindly. However, Frost uses symbolism to address this theme, while Jackson relies on word choice that creates a suspenseful tone.
Initially, Both Jackson and Frost urge the reader to notice the negative impacts on questionable traditions. The citizens in “The Lottery” choose to carry out a tradition of coming together to find a winner of the town lottery in order to sacrifice …show more content…
For example,Frost uses the symbol of the brokenness of the wall to represent the need for change. The wall continues to deteriorate because it is unnatural and does not have a purpose. Also, he declares, “He moves in darkness as it seems to me, not of woods only and the shade of trees” (41-42). Frost utilizes darkness as a symbol for lack of development that the man is consumed by because he follows his tradition without reasoning. For without a realization or purpose behind his actions, the man is doomed to be narrow minded forever as if he were thinking in …show more content…
For instance, he uses the nervous energy of a boy to push the threat in tradition when she states, “He blinked his eyes nervously and ducked his head…” (292). By showing that the boy is nervous to participate in the lottery, Jackson is able to push an uneasy and tense tone. She also says, “A girl whispered, ‘I hope it’s not Nancy,’ and the sounds of her whisper reached the edges of the crowd” (295). By using a young girl who is worried about her friend winning the lottery, Jackson is able to express that the lottery is not an excellent prize, but is actually a dreadful occasion. Additionally, the winner of the lottery, Mrs. Hutchinson, screams, “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right” (295). These words imply that Mrs. Hutchinson is terrified that the tradition of the lottery will cause horrific things to happen to her. Lastly, Jackson ends the story with the words, “..then they were upon her” (295). By using such menacing words, Jackson is able to construct an anxious and frightening tone, which allows for exhibition of the risk in the town’s