The universe is rich in traditions, such as tailgates at a ballgame and parades to commemorate holidays. Trick-or-treating on Halloween is another example. What is the purpose of traditions in society? What does a tradition mean? Is society going to be satisfied with the current state of affairs? To ensure that any society functions properly, it must have a solid foundation. As long as the principles and standards are consistent with fundamental human rights, it is essential that there be a standard set for society. Shirley Jackson’s story “The Lottery,” outlines the importance of following traditional customs. The town is home to around 300 people. They gather around an abandoned black box which is desperately in need of replacement, but the town opts not to because it is a matter of tradition.
Mrs. Hutchinson and the entire town are present. She appears late, not realizing that June 27, the lottery day, is her arrival date. The oldest male in the family draws the winner. If their slip is unmarked, they can be trusted. However, if their slip contains a black spot, the family will have to begin again. The family member with the most severe fate will be stoned. Because the village believes that good crops require a sacrifice, this tradition is maintained. Jackson claims that the lottery has become an irrelevant day in the village. Because of tradition, the process of drawing the lotto takes two hours. After that everyone goes about their daily lives. Mrs. Adams and Mr. Adams both indicate that several villages in the vicinity are exempting from the lottery. Old Man Warner worries that the lottery would lead to a return to a primitive way of life. Old Man Warner isn’t interested in interrupting tradition, even though it appears that these practices are causing harm to citizens. This story tells the story of capital punishment and ritual sacerdotal sacrifice. This is evident when Mrs. Hutchinson gets stoned in return for good crops. Her shrieking suggests that she does not support self sacrifice and stoning. The audience is left to wonder if this is punishment. In history, capital punishment and ritual sacrifice have been used in equal measure. * Patrick J. Shields (author of Arbitrary Condemnation in Shirley Jackson’s”The Lottery”) says that the story itself exposes the atavistic nature hidden beneath civilized humankind. He encourages the reader to explore notions like scapegoating ritual cleansing, gender, class structure and arbitrary condemnation. These traditions can be traced back to the Old Testament.
The atonement of sins was made possible by the blood of lambs. Animal sacrifice was a common practice in biblical cultures, as well as human sacrifice in Aztec culture. The twenty-first century inhabitants are disgusted by the ancient tradition of animal and human sacrifice. Because the idea of tradition has changed over time, animal and human sacrifices were accepted as normal based on what people had been taught to do. Traditions are an integral part and effect of society. They are part of daily life. What happens if traditions are affecting one’s own human rights or dignity as shown in “The Lottery.” According to Defining Dignity and Its Place in Human Rights by Lucy Michael, “The concept of dignity forms a network of interconnected ideas related to worth and value particularly within legal and ethical discourse; it is a rich and meaningful concept…Fundamentally, dignity matters because it forms the foundation of civilized society; without it, serious abuse of people is more likely to occur”. You should change any traditions that threaten your dignity or rights. When people see a tradition being misused, they take the necessary steps to correct it. The tradition is then erased from society’s history by the subsequent generations. It may take years, or even decades to end this tradition. This is evident in slavery. Slavery slowly declined with the 13th Amendment thanks to those who recognized that slavery was completely against basic human rights. Abortion is another example.
The Trouble With Tradition by Graeme Reid says that “Tradition should not be outof step with international rights, norms or standards.” Abortion violates all basic human rights. It also proceeds to rob a baby of their choice. While abortion is still legal, opposition to it is growing. Roev. Wade made abortion legal. It is important to be careful when creating traditions, as they will continue to have an impact on society long after it ends. Gabriel Moran’s Human Rights Need a Human Tradition states that “we are continually encouraged to forget about the past and to look forward.” Tradition is a means of resisting that image. One might suggest that we forget the past in order to create a better future. However, if past traditions are not respected, how can society build better traditions? In addition, the past traditions form the basis for modern traditions. It is possible for society to continue unjust or dangerous traditions without acknowledging them.
The future is not available for everyone, but the traditions we instill will influence the prosperity of future generations. Gayle Whitter points out in “The Lottery: A Misogynist Tale” that progress is an illusion. This statement is in line with the notion that humanity will always seek improvements, regardless of how advanced our traditions may be. Progress is a metaphor. Society cannot be satisfied with its existing traditions. We must continue to strive for improvement, so long as our human rights are respected. We should strive for progress and should establish traditions to support that.
