Society’s Influence on People and Ideas

affluent suburb who strive to maintain their "ideal" lifestyle. The story explores the connection between the feared intruders and the family's worth, emphasizing the loss felt by the property owner who knows the thieves wouldn't appreciate what they stole, including a bottle of single-malt scotch. The townspeople, faced with riots and crime, write on their security walls as a warning. However, intrusion continues to happen in broad daylight, at night, and even during lovely summer twilight. As Shurgot highlights, Gordimer describes the character's terrible fear of being attacked, sharing the same fears as others who...Precautions such as burglar bars and guns under pillows were taken by the neighbors, after two recent incidents of attacks. One incident involved the murder of a woman, while the other involved an old widower being stabbed by a casual laborer whom he had dismissed without pay. The neighbors decided to increase their security measures, but ultimately, these precautions turned against them. They eventually built a fence for ultimate protection, intending to live securely within its confines, akin to living in a concentration camp. However, the fence ended up tragically mangling their own son instead of an intruder. This shows how society's pressure to enhance security and safeguard against the unknown eventually led to the downfall of this family. If they had not given in to hearsay and rumors, they would have avoided such a horrific outcome. Shirley Jackson also explored society's influence over individuals in her story "The Lottery".

Shirley Jackson's writing style is characterized by odd and macabre tones, creating a sense of impending doom in seemingly ordinary settings and characters. This can be seen in her story "The Lottery",

which explores the traditions and blind adherence to them in a small American village. Both Jackson and Gordimer use society and its influence to depict how individuals can be manipulated in their stories. The traditions portrayed in "The Lottery" may appear strange and illogical to outsiders, but they are considered normal and passed down through generations without questioning their validity. In her critical essay, Lori Voth analyzes "The Lottery" and describes how Jackson employs irony and comedy to highlight the underlying evil, hypocrisy, and weakness of humanity. Set in a tightly-knit village where devotion to each other and firm upholding of traditions are paramount, "The Lottery" narrates an annual event that takes place without fail.

Every year, the town holds a lottery where one person is chosen at random. This individual is then stoned to death by their close friends and family. The purpose of this ritual is to guarantee a successful harvest season. Despite its long-standing practice, surpassing even the memories of Mr. Warner, the oldest resident in town, everyone still takes this tradition seriously. "The Lottery" brings attention to both hypocrisy and a flaw found within human nature.

The town continues to carry out the lottery despite its terrible history, without any objections or questions, solely for the purpose of upholding the tradition. Old Man Warner affirms that the lottery has always existed and dismisses any thought of quitting as troublesome. However, the villagers exhibit some anxiety towards the event. Comments like "Don't be nervous Jack" and "Get up there Bill" suggest a certain level of discomfort among the people. Mrs. Delacroix's breath-holding while her husband participates further adds to this unease. (Voth) As per

Jackson, "Soon the men began to gather."

The men and women stood together, maintaining their distance from the pile of stones in the corner. Their jokes were whispered, accompanied by smiles rather than laughter. The women wore faded house dresses and sweaters as they joined their husbands. Gradually, the women began calling for their children, who responded reluctantly after being called repeatedly. This reluctance of the children and the quiet demeanor of the men indicate their wariness towards the upcoming event. However, no one speaks up to express their opposition to subjecting their families to such cruelty. The townspeople are well aware of the implications that the lottery has on their town, yet they choose to remain silent. They privately acknowledge that this lottery is not the grand occasion it is portrayed as, designed to ensure a good harvest. Yet, under pressure from the town's elders, they not only participate in this horrifying tradition but do so willingly and enthusiastically. These literary works may be fictional but they draw inspiration from real societal traits, such as generations of oppression of non-whites in South Africa and insular traditions and behaviors within small villages in United States.

Society's power to influence the masses is reinforced by the idea that these behaviors are passed down through generations in the societies portrayed in these works, with no regard for personal reflection or independent thought. Both stories demonstrate how external pressure can lead individuals to engage in certain activities simply because others are doing so. The isolation of these societies limits their access to information about different ways of behaving, thus reducing the chances of individuals thinking and acting differently from the

established norms.

In the given society, the interpretation of external information is vigorously protected. This can be seen through the spread of rumors about neighboring villages discontinuing their lottery. The village elder, Old Man Warner, assumes the responsibility of imparting knowledge about past traditions to the members of the society. Due to his experience, he is perceived as the most knowledgeable about how any changes would impact their environment.

In her story, Jackson presents a conversation between Mr. Adams and Old Man Warner. Mr. Adams tells Old Man Warner that people in the north village are considering giving up the lottery. Old Man Warner dismisses this idea, calling them "crazy fools" influenced by the younger generation. He believes that if they stop the lottery, society will regress to a primitive state, where no one works and they live like cavemen. He mentions a saying about the lottery and corn harvest in June, emphasizing that the lottery has always existed in their community. Both Gordimer and Jackson use their stories to show how one person can exert influence over another.

Both the husband and wife in the story acknowledge that ideas come not only from within oneself, but also from one's surroundings, even if those surroundings are harmful. They both eagerly heed their neighbors' advice to the point where they lose touch with reality and fail to grasp that the danger was not as significant as it appeared. Gordimer illustrates this by describing how when the little boy's cat tried to enter his room through the fanlight, as it typically did, it set off the alarm in the entire house.

The alarm was frequently responded to by other burglar alarms

in neighboring houses that had been set off by pet cats or mice munching on things. The alarms communicated with each other across the yards in loud and distressed sounds that became familiar to everyone in the suburb. The noise no longer disturbed the residents, becoming as ordinary as the sound of frogs croaking and cicadas rubbing their legs together. These alarms were not meant for criminals but instead were triggered by everyday household pets and rodents.

The fear of the community was stretched to its limit due to gossip and rumors, making it acceptable and normal to listen to alarms all night. What may seem unusual to one person was familiar to those in the community. Although presented differently, these same themes are evident in Jackson's "The Lottery." It is clear from reading the story that this tradition has become outdated, yet they continue to practice it. In this small American village, tradition holds more significance than logic.

Once again, Fritz Oehlschlaeger discusses in his critical essay "The Stoning of Mistress Hutchinson: Meaning and Context in 'The Lottery,'" the significance of this protection society in upholding traditional core beliefs and actions. Oehlschlaeger refers to the control that society exerts on individuals' actions, often driven by their desire for self-preservation, as explored earlier in the story "Once Upon a Time."

The lottery forces women to have large families, as desired by the men in the village, since having a bigger family reduces the likelihood of the mother being chosen if their family is selected in the first round. Both stories highlight how society greatly influences individuals to the point where they almost lose their individuality as characters. The

well-being of the village in "The Lottery" and the suburb in "Once Upon a Time" becomes more important than the characters themselves.

In both "The Lottery" and "Once Upon a Time," the texts explore how society affects individuals, prioritizing societal norms over individual well-being. These stories illustrate the negative consequences of disregarding personal autonomy, highlighting the detrimental effects on multiple people. Vera P. Froelich and Jennifer Halle argue that readers who disapprove or feel horror towards "The Lottery" inadvertently align themselves with its villagers, thus validating Shirley Jackson's theories. Both narratives demonstrate the harm caused when society limits personal choices or when individuals excessively value others' ideals.

Fritz Oehlschlaeger analyzes the context and meaning of 'The Lottery' in his work titled "The Stoning of Mistress Hutchinson." Michael Shurgot explores imagery and structure in Nadine Gordimer's tale "Once upon a Time." Lori Voth provides a literary critic's perspective on "The Lottery" through her analysis published in volume 24.3 of the Journal of Literary Studies (2008). This analysis can be accessed on the Literature Resource Center website and was retrieved on October 1, 2010. Additionally, this article is available on Associated Content from Yahoo! website, published on November 21, 2005, and accessed on October 3, 2010.