A lottery is a game in which people pay money to win a prize. Some lotteries are purely for fun, but others are organized to raise funds for charity or other public good causes. In the United States, lotteries are operated by state governments that have monopolies over the business. The profits of the lotteries are used by these governments to fund government programs.
The History of Lotteries
In ancient times, lotteries were used to raise money for a variety of projects. The Chinese Han dynasty (205 to 187 BC) had a lottery that helped finance the construction of major government buildings, like the Great Wall. A similar lottery was used in Europe in the 15th century to raise money for town fortifications and to help poor people.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
In her short story, “The Lottery,” writer Shirley Jackson focuses on the ramifications of communal violence and the indiscriminate use of tradition in an anecdotal community in mid-20th-century New England. The story begins with an annual lottery that takes place in an unassuming square in the town.
The story’s protagonist, Tessie Hutchinson, is nervous about the day of the lottery. She wonders if she will be lucky enough to win, and whether she can trust the other members of her family.
In reality, no single set of numbers is more or less luckier than another. And no one is guaranteed to win a lottery, even after spending several years of playing it. Taxes and inflation will erode the value of winnings over time.