A lottery is a form of gambling in which prizes are assigned by random selection. Prizes can be anything from cash to goods or services. People who play the lottery are not necessarily compulsive gamblers or investing their life savings, but they do spend money in the hopes that they might one day stand on a stage with an oversized check for millions of dollars. The lottery is a popular form of gambling, and state governments subsidize it through advertising and other promotional efforts. Although there is some debate over whether promoting the lottery encourages problem gambling or other negative consequences, there is also consensus that it serves an important public purpose by raising revenue for a variety of programs.

Traditionally, government at all levels has operated lotteries. It 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 percentage of the profits); begins operations with a modest number of relatively simple games; and, due to the constant pressure for additional revenues, progressively expands the lottery’s size and complexity. In an anti-tax era, such activities are especially popular with state legislatures and governors.

Jackson’s story “The Lottery” is a chilling tale of the inhumanity of humans and the dangers of blind ritual and tradition. The villagers’ excitement and delight in their annual lottery is a vivid reminder of how easily social conformity can become deadly, and how adherence to ancient custom can lead to a senseless act of brutal hatred and violence.

Jackson’s story begins with the village elder, Mr. Summers, carrying out a black box for the upcoming lottery. The villagers gather around the box, ready to select their victim for the stoning. The participants are enthusiastic, chatting and exchanging bits of gossip while they wait for their turn to draw a stone. The glee with which the townspeople begin selecting stones is a vivid illustration of the blindness and cruelty of humankind, and it is clear that Old Man Warner fears that giving up this tradition might result in chaos. The adolescent girls are particularly eager to participate, as they have been told the winners will receive a new dress. This is an example of how the lottery can manipulate and distort the desires of a population, which is a common theme in stories by Jackson.