“The Lottery” Religious Symbolism
• Tessie Hutchinson – sacrificial victim
o Allusion to Anne Hutchinson
• Mrs. Delacroix – “of the cross”
o “selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands”
o Conversation with Mrs. Graves
• Mr. Summers
o Dressed in all white
o Represents a priest – leader of lottery
o Coal miner – earthly profession
• Mr. Adams
o First family to draw from box
o Adam & Eve
o Brings up other villages stopping the lottery
o Goes along with the sin; front of the crowd
• Old Man Warner
o 77 years old – lucky number
o Strongly against changing the lottery
• The Black Box
o Resembles the Bible
o Box changes over the years
o Made by a carpenter
Jesus – carpenter
• Stool
o Holy Trinity – three legs
o Stool and box are one
o God speaks through the Bible
• Ritual Symbolism
o “He who is without sin may cast the first stone”
o Willingness of townspeople to sacrifice as a sign of loyalty to God
Abraham
o Use of stones
o Black dot – earthly sin
o Punishment by family and peers
• Blind Faith
o The Crusades
o Salem Witch Trials
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