Several states around the world use lotteries to raise money. They are a good source of revenue because they are cheap to organize and popular with the general public. However, they can also be harmful to society. They cause people to spend more than they can afford, and they also lead to a loss of social capital. Moreover, they promote an unhealthy culture of violence and death.
The story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson shows the ways in which humans mistreat each other. The central problem in this short story is the blind following of outdated traditions and rituals. The villagers in the story do not even know why they hold the lottery and yet, they continue with the practice. Despite the fact that they kill one person, they do not feel remorse and do not try to stop the lottery.
The setting in this story is very detailed and provides a sense of comfort to the reader. The story starts with a clear and sunny summer day. Moreover, the story is narrated in the third person which creates a connection between the reader and the characters.
The lottery is a type of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers for a prize. Initially, these games were used by the government to raise funds for public works like walls and town fortifications. Nowadays, 44 states and the District of Columbia run state-sponsored lotteries. The six states that don’t are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Utah, and Nevada. The reason for these states’ absence is various: religious objections, the belief that gambling is evil, or a desire to keep gambling profits in-state.