Traditional Barriers(The Lottery) Jamaria Erykah Bryant Reading Essay October 3, 2014 Richland Middle School

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Traditional Barriers

Tradition during the time period of my story(The Lottery) consisted of the men and there son o

sixteen having more authority than the women. During this time the village was stuck on tradition

ways that ultimately held them back and separated them from other villages. There were se

traditional beliefs that was practiced. The men who were consider head of house was only all

pick from the lottery box, they only believed in using the same lottery box, and the lottery whic sacrifice would be held every year at the same time and place. One way to prove they were stuck on tradition would be the value the black box held to the

Even though the black box grew shabier as each year passed, it was no longer black, splintere

and faded but they refused to use another even after it was mention by the younger people in th

But at the advise of the older men in the village they broke down the box and rebuilded it us original wood. The first settlers of the village built the box by wood when they first decided to

lottery and because of that change was not an options. The first settlers would put wood chip box for the village people to pick, but as the village grew so would the number of wood chips. got to the point where the wood chips would not fit and only for that reason the elders agreed to paper but not without a debate on how they feel it would change tradition. Mr. Summers

strong on the traditions and no matter how old and bad the box looked he would never use ano

because of the ties it held, a new box would mean they were starting over or did not appreci history of the first settlers.

Only allowing the men who were consider head of house or son who were sixteen are older to

the box was another barrier in the village traditional beliefs. Mr. Summers stated in the story "N

read the names-head of families to come choose a piece of paper. When Janie husband could n

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to the lottery because of his illness, Mr. Summer asked her what abour your son, she replied he

sixteen. When the town folk so there was no other options other men offered to take her hu

place. Because of tradition and only men being allowed to pick from box they let her undera

pick. A women would never be allowed to pick from box no way no how. There tradition ma

live in a way that only men had the power, they are the head and all decision come through th and last.

Then there is the traditional practice of the lottery. When i think of the lottery big money comes

Mr. Summers and the village folk lottery was nothing about money. They believe in human sac

stoning a person to death. The earlier settlers would put all names in a box and the head of fam chose and who ever pick the paper with the dot, there family members would pick and which pick the dot would get stone. They practiced this because they believed it would bring them

harvest and they would be able to eat good for the whole year. One of the town folk stated

walking to the center of town were the lottery would always take place"first thing you know w

be eating stewed chickweed and acorn." Having a tradition were killing would bring a good h

be eating stewed chickweed and acorn." Having a tradition were killing would bring a good h

seems sick to me and the fact that the village folk was not willing to change. Some of the near t

away with the lottery tradition because of the violence but Mr. Summers held strong to the bel when his wife pick the lottery slip.

The sacrifices that the village made for tradition was not worth it to me, but it shows how tradi

have such a strong hold on people that they make decision they would have never made. In tod

some people tradition are the men is he head but not like in the story. Having a lottery to pic

would die just in the hope you can eat corn is one tradition that can stay in the book. But becau

traditional barriers the village never saw the harm in stoning a person to death each year for a s

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harvest. or making a women feel less or unequal to the men. Having tradition and history can b

thing but when it changes you are have you doing things that are bad it is time to look or start tradition.