Kosenko notes, the village in "The Lottery" "exhibits the same socio-economic stratification that most people take for granted in a modern, capitalist society. Summers, whose name reflects the time of year in which the lottery takes place, is in charge of the solemn ritual. Although not portrayed as corrupt, Summer nevertheless represents an inherently violent element within modern capitalist hierarchies. Graves, whose name symbolizes death itself, is the town postmaster. Thus, Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," which was written just as American suburban life was sprouting up across the nation, proves to be an enduring piece of social criticism. Jackson's critique of American is confidently waged society to draw attention to the unnecessarily violent streak within our culture. That streak was evident before we were a nation, from the European-Indian encounters to the Salem Witch trials. Violence in America continued with centuries of slavery and continued racial oppression and...
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