Daniel J Reilly Reilly 1
Professor LoMonico
CEE 593
15 November 2005
Treatment for The Lottery
Welcome to the town of Singail. This town is like most other towns, but there is one slight difference: This town has an annual lottery. This lottery is a sweepstakes that everyone hopes they do not win. Singail is peaceful and quiet most of the time, but on June 27th, which the townspeople call lottery day, the peacefulness is replaced by the laughter, talking, and even the screams of the townspeople.
The story opens with the NARRATOR and his SON standing on a hill observing the town square of Singail. There are a few people roaming the streets, birds chirping, and dogs barking. Oddly enough, there is even a cloud in the sky that resembles a four-leaf clover. Most would think it is a lucky day. Not quite.
The town square is not spectacular by any means. In fact, it is dirt square, which is flanked by an old bank and post office, that has nothing more than a puddle near the north side. A few birds fly by every now and again, and you can even hear them singing their love songs.
A brief look inside the post office reveals a man, who is sleeping and dreaming about happier days, holding a newspaper. The headline on the paper reads, “Don’t forget about your lottery ticket.”
Back on the hill, the narrator and his son stand and stare at the town square. The narrator tells his son that there will be an interesting sight today. Interesting indeed!
A close view of the town square exposes a few boys, which includes HARRY JONES, BOBBY MARTIN, and DICKIE DELACROIX, wandering around and picking up rocks. The boys throw some of their ammunition; I mean rocks, in one corner of the square, creating a pile. A group of girls enters the square and they watch the boys with curiosity in their eyes while they have conversations about school. Shortly after, little children join the fun. They splash around in a mud puddle, which was left behind by a storm. The men, which includes MR. MARTIN, HARRY GRAVES, and JOE SUMMERS, enter the square shortly after the children, and they strike up conversations about their vocations.
A view of the north road reveals a group of women, which includes MRS. GRAVES, MRS. DELACROIX, and MRS. DUNBAR, walking toward the town square. They are chatting and nodding their heads at one another. When Dickie Delacroix sees his mother, he runs toward her and stands by her side.
Bobby Martin is quite a handful. He runs toward his mother, but decides he will dodge her hand and run for the pile of stones; however, his father screams at him, which causes Bobby to run to his family and stand quietly.
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Joe Summers leaves the square briefly, while additional families join the crowd that has already formed in the town square.
On the hill, the narrator explains who the town people are, and what purpose they serve.
Back at the town square, Joe Summers enters the square carrying a black box, which he places on a stool. Because Joe Summers is elderly, he asks the people in the square if they can help him set up the box. Mr. Martin gladly volunteers to help Joe Summers.
At this point, OLD MAN WARNER joins the crowd and begins preaching about the history of the lottery. He is complaining about the necessity of keeping old traditions alive.
Joe Summers and Harry Graves talk about the changes that they have made in preparation for the lottery this year.
The black box must be stored when it is not in use, so Joe Summers asks BILL HUTCHINSON if he could keep it this year, to which Bill Hutchinson quickly agrees.
Joe Summers asks Harry Graves if he has the prepared list of all the names of the people in the town. Harry Graves produces the list from his back pocket. While he browses the names, Joe Summers realizes that the POSTMAN has not arrived. He then inquires about his whereabouts. The elderly postal worker staggers into the town square and verifies his presence.
The postal worker’s job is to swear in Joe Summers. The postal worker completes his duties and walks into the crowd of people that is currently surrounding Joe Summers and the black box.
Joe Summers inquires about TESSIE HUTCHINSON’S whereabouts, but the people in the crowd are clueless.
While wiping her hands on her apron, Tessie Hutchinson runs toward the crowd from the southern road. She arrives and has a brief conversation with Mrs. Graves. She then walks toward her family and stands next to her husband.
Joe Summers calls out the name Dunbar, but only Mrs. Dunbar is present. She explains that her husband is sick, and that she will be the one drawing his lottery ticket. Joe then asks if the WATSON BOY will be drawing this year, and the Watson Boy says that he will. He also informs Joe Summers that he will be drawing for his mother as well this year. The final name to verify is Old Man Watson, who quickly makes his presence known.
Joe Summers explains the rules of the lottery. He tells everyone that they will come up to the box when their name is called and select one piece of paper, which they will keep folded, and then return to their place in the crowd.
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The first name Joe Summers calls is STEVE ADAMS, who walks to the box, takes out a piece of paper, and returns to his spot as instructed. Joe Summers continues to call names, and people repeat the actions of Steve Adams.
A brief conversation is heard between Mrs. Delacroix and Mrs. Graves. They discuss how quickly the lottery seems to come each year.
Joe Summers calls out the name CLARK DELACROIX. He walks forward, takes a piece of paper from the box, and then returns to his place in the crowd. Joe Summers calls out the name of Harry Graves, who is standing next to Joe Summers. Harry Graves walks to the front of the box, takes out a piece of paper, and then returns to his position next to Joe Summers. Joe Summers then calls the names of JANEY DUNBAR, Bill Hutchinson, and MR. JONES.
While Joe Summers calls out names, Steve Adams and Old Man Warner have a conversation of their own. Steve talks about giving up the lottery and Old Man Warner tells him that it is a foolish thing to say. Old Man Warner’s only support is that it has always been done that way, and it should always be done that way.
Joe Summers calls Mr. Martin’s name. Mr. Martin walks toward the box, takes out a piece of folded paper, and then returns to his place.
Mrs. Dunbar complains to her son that there is a pie in the oven, and that she hopes the lottery will end soon. She then tells him to go find his father.
Back at the black box, Joe Summers calls his own name and takes a piece of paper. He then looks up and calls out Old Man Warner’s name.
Old Man Warner is a loud elderly man. As he walks toward the box, he talks about how long he has played the lottery and emphasizes that he has never won. When he arrives at the box, he takes his piece of paper and walks back to his spot in the crowd.
Joe Summers calls Watson’s name. The Watson Boy walks up nervously and takes a piece of paper. He then runs back to his spot in the crowd. Joe Summers shouts “ZANINI,” who takes the last piece of paper from the box and joins the rest of the crowd.
Joe Summers tells the crowd that all of the papers have been distributed, and that everyone may open their papers. All of the people in the crowd look to one in other trying to figure out who won. Old Man Warner notices that Bill Hutchinson has won and he announces it to the crowd.
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Tessie Hutchinson complains about the fairness of the lottery, and she feels that her husband was cheated. Mrs. Delacroix tells Tessie Hutchinson to be a good sport. Bill Hutchinson snaps at his wife and tells her to shut up.
Joe Summers informs Bill Hutchinson that his family must draw from the box one more time. Joe Summers inquires about Bill Hutchinson’s extended family, but Bill Hutchinson informs him that his daughters draw with their husbands. Tessie Hutchinson argues with her husband, but her efforts are futile.
Joe Summers takes a step back from Bill Hutchinson and loudly asks Bill Hutchinson how many children are in his family. Bill Hutchinson tells Joe Summers how many people are in his family, and then Joe has Harry Graves collect their lottery tickets. Harry Graves places the tickets in the black box, and then stands to the left side of Joe Summers.
Tessie Hutchinson begins to plead with the crowd.
Joe Summers asks Bill if he is ready, and Bill says that he is prepared. LITTLE DAVY HUTCHINSON is asked to select first. Davy is a four-year-old boy. He laughs and walks to the box. Joe Summers realizes that the Little Davy cannot handle taking a piece of paper from the box, so Joe Summers asks Harry Graves to help Little Davy select a ticket. Joe Summers asks NANCY HUTCHINSON to select next. She takes a piece of paper from the box, and then stands to the left side of her mother.
Three of Nancy’s friends are standing to the side of the crowd. They are praying and crying.
Joe Summers calls Bill Hutchinson’s son BILL HUTCHINSON JR. to the black box. Bill Hutchinson Jr. selects a piece of paper, and then he returns to his place next to his older sister Nancy. Joe Summers calls Tessie Hutchinson’s name. After hesitating for a moment, she reaches her hand into the box and retrieves a piece of paper, which leaves Bill Hutchinson with the remaining piece.
Nancy’s friends are crying louder and louder. All three of them get on their knees and pray to the sky.
Old Man Warner can be heard complaining about the whole ordeal.
Joe Summers tells the family to open their papers. One by one, they open them. Mr. Graves begins by opening Little Davy’s paper. Mr. Graves lets out a sigh of relief when he sees that the paper is blank. Bill Hutchinson Jr. and Nancy Hutchinson open their papers at the same time, and they both begin laughing as they realize that the papers are blank.
Bill Hutchinson and Tessie Hutchinson stare at each other for a brief moment. Without moving his eyes from Tessie’s eyes, Bill Hutchinson lets the paper unfold in his hand,
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which is clearly blank. Tessie Hutchinson turns pale white and a tear rolls down her face. Joe Summers announce that the winner is Tessie Hutchinson. Tessie cannot move, and therefore, does not unfold her paper. However, Bill Hutchinson does it for her. Tessie Hutchinson’s paper has a huge black dot on it. She is the winner.
Joe Summers makes it clear that he wants to end the lottery quickly because he must return to his coalhouse.
The pile of stones that the children built earlier in the day is the focus of the crowd. Tessie Hutchinson begins running down the north road of the town. People start taking rocks from the pile and running in Tessie’s direction.
Mrs. Delacroix and Mrs. Dunbar are running together. Mrs. Dunbar slows down, and Mrs. Delacroix tells her to hurry. Mrs. Dunbar tells Mrs. Delacroix that she should go on without her.
The children are ahead of the adults in the race toward Tessie Hutchinson. Bobby Martin is pulling stones from his pockets as he is running. He yells at the other children for being too slow.
Even Little Davy is running as fast as his little legs will take him. He does not really understand why he is running, but he follows the crowd anyway.
The adults gain on the children and encourage them to run faster.
Tessie Hutchinson cannot run any longer. She slows to a walk and then stumbles to the ground. She attempts to get up, but as she rises, a stone hits her square in the face. Tessie starts screaming that it is not fair.
Old Man Warner looks at Tessie Hutchinson with an evil grin, and then hits her in the face with a stone. He encourages other people in the crowd to do the same.
The crowd surrounds Tessie Hutchinson so that she can no longer be seen. Tessie Hutchinson screams at the top of her lungs, but she is quickly silenced.
Joe Summers and Harry Graves walk back toward the town square. Joe Summers suggests that they get a new black box for next year, but Harry Graves states that he thinks the box is just fine.
Back on the hill, the Narrator asks his son what he thinks about the events of the day. His son says that he is happy they do not do that at home. The Narrator asks his son if he wants to go play with the children, and the son replies by stating that he wants to go home. As the Narrator and his son leave, all that can be seen is Tessie Hutchinson’s body off in the distance.