Shirley Jackson, author of the short story "The Lottery" made the readers think, that the story was positive, but she purposely plays off her reader's assumptions, concealing her skillful and yet powerful symbols from their instantaneous notice. The story stated that the drawing of the names was held every year on June twenty-seventh (Jackson, "The Lottery" 328). In the American Literature, Helen E. Nebeker, mentions that the "symbolic overtones which alerts us to the season of the summer solstice with all its overtones of ancient ritual" (Nebeker 102). In "The Lottery" the names of some of the characters and the black box in the story are loaded with significance. The names of Delacroix, Graves, Hutchinson, Summers and Warner clue at the factual nature of the characters.
             The symbolic name of Delacroix, means "of the cross in Latin" (Dictionary.com). It also implied to Tessie Hutchison's sacrificial killing. At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Delacroix gives the impression of being a friend to Mrs. Hutchinson. When it was time to stone her friend, it was she who is made known to lift up the biggest rock and encourages the community to stone Tessie to death.
             The figurative name of Graves, means "An excavation for the interment of a corpse or a place of burial" (Dictionary.com). Mr. Graves, was the person, whom the people get the papers from and he is also the person who carries in the black box and the three-legged stool. (Jackson, "The Lottery" 329). His name reference to being the individual who has control over whose grave it will be next.
             The metaphorical name of Tessie Hutchinson's character. Her last name, Hutchison, provides substantial information on the theme of the story, because it is the name of the classical Anne Hutchinson. Not only because of the name being similar, but also because of the small town environment. Anne Hutchinson was a willing scapegoat who died for her religion and was an outcast from ...