“There was a great deal of fussing to be done before Mr. Summers declared the lottery open” (Jackson). Shirley Jackson is the author of “The Lottery”. She is well known around the world. Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco on December 14, 1916. She began writing poetry and short stories as a young teenager (Shirley).The short story is about Mr. Summers and all the village people playing lottery. Mr. Summers is very important and the most powerful in the village. He’s in charge of the lottery. In the short story The Lottery Jackson shows how positions of power are important to characters that possess them and have consequences for other characters.
To begin with, Mr. Summers has control over all the people in the village. Shirley Jackson shows Mr. Summer’s position and power in this quote, He was a rounded-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business, and people were sorry for him because he had no children and his wife was scold” (Jackson).He was in charge of the lottery and had a lot power and control. Everyone in the town listened to him and followed him. Mr. Summers is the most important person in the village this can be seen in this quote, “Mr. Summers was very good at all this; in his clean white shirt and blue jeans, with one hand resting carelessly on the black box, he seemed very proper and important as he talked interminably to Mr. Graves and the Martins (Jackson).He was very important to everyone. Everyone had a lot of respect for him. They did everything he told them and made sure that he was happy. Mr. Summer’s is very popular and well known in the village. If someone disobeyed Mr. Summer’s there would be punishment.
Furthermore, Shirley Jackson describes the consequences of other characters. “The villagers kept their distance, leaving a space between themselves and the stool, and when Mr. Summers said, “Some of you fellows want to give me a hand?” there was a hesitation before two men. Mr. Martin and his oldest son, Baxter, came forward to hold the box steady on the stool while Mr. Summers stirred up the papers inside it” (Jackson).People in the village are scared of Mr. Summers. They are willing to give up their family member. They keep their distance and listen to everything he has to say. Another example of consequences that the village people experience is seen in this quote, “Keep the papers folded in your hand without looking at it until everyone has had turn. “Everything clear” (Jackson)? Everyone in the village listened to Mr. Summer’s and did everything he wanted in order to make him happy. They didn’t want to get in trouble because their life was on the line. The black box decided everything in the lottery. If you did not get picked out of the black box you punishment would be death.
All in all, the short story “The Lottery” shows position of power and consequences of other characters. Mr. Summers is the most powerful character and has control over everyone. People can learn that no one is greater or stronger than God. People gave up their family members because of Mr. Summers. They believed him and listened to everything that he had to say. People looked up to him like he was their god.