By Shirley Jackson
Available on CommonLit. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0.
Each June, a small village gathers for the annual lottery, a ritual deeply rooted in tradition. The event begins innocuously, with children playing and adults chatting, but an air of unease underscores the gathering. Led by Mr. Summers, who carries the revered yet deteriorating black wooden box, the lottery’s procedures reflect the community’s unwavering commitment to its past.
Despite years of simplification, the villagers cling to the ritual, performing it with solemn respect. The late arrival of Mrs. Hutchinson adds a fleeting moment of levity, but the gravity of the event quickly takes hold. The lottery, mysterious and immutable, serves as a chilling reminder of the power of tradition and collective compliance.
[16] A tall boy in the crowd raised his hand. “Here,” he said. “I’m drawing for m’mother and me.” He blinked his eyes nervously and ducked his head as several voices in the crowd said things like “Good fellow, Jack,” and “Glad to see your mother’s got a man to do it.”
[17] “Well,” Mr. Summers said, “guess that’s everyone. Old Man Warner make it?”
[18] “Here,” a voice said, and Mr. Summers nodded.
[19] A sudden hush fell on the crowd as Mr. Summers cleared his throat and looked at the list. “All ready?” he called. “Now, I’ll read the names — heads of families first — and the men come up and take a paper out of the box. Keep the paper folded in your hand without looking at it until everyone has had a turn. Everything clear?”
[20] The people had done it so many times that they only half listened to the directions; most of them were quiet, wetting their lips, not looking around. Then Mr. Summers raised one hand high and said, “Adams.” A man disengaged himself from the crowd and came forward. “Hi, Steve,” Mr. Summers said, and Mr. Adams said. “Hi, Joe.” They grinned at one another humorlessly and nervously. Then Mr. Adams reached into the black box and took out a folded paper. He held it firmly by one corner as he turned and went hastily back to his place in the crowd, where he stood a little apart from his family, not looking down at his hand.
[21] “Allen,” Mr. Summers said. “Anderson... Bentham.”
[22] “Seems like there’s no time at all between lotteries any more,” Mrs. Delacroix said to Mrs. Graves in the back row. “Seems like we got through with the last one only last week.”
[23] “Time sure goes fast,” Mrs. Graves said.
[24] “Clark... Delacroix.”
[25] “There goes my old man,” Mrs. Delacroix said. She held her breath while her husband went forward.
[26] “Dunbar,” Mr. Summers said, and Mrs. Dunbar went steadily to the box while one of the women said, “Go on, Janey,” and another said, “There she goes.”
[27] “We’re next,” Mrs. Graves said. She watched while Mr. Graves came around from the side of the box, greeted Mr. Summers gravely, and selected a slip of paper from the box. By now, all through the crowd there were men holding the small folded papers in their large hands, turning them over and over nervously. Mrs. Dunbar and her two sons stood together, Mrs. Dunbar holding the slip of paper.
[28] “Harburt... Hutchinson.”
[29] “Get up there, Bill,” Mrs. Hutchinson said, and the people near her laughed.
[30] “Jones.”
[31] “They do say,” Mr. Adams said to Old Man Warner, who stood next to him, “that over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery.”
[32] Old Man Warner snorted. “Pack of crazy fools,” he said. “Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery,” he added petulantly. “Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody.”
[33] “Some places have already quit lotteries,” Mrs. Adams said.
[34] “Nothing but trouble in that,” Old Man Warner said stoutly. “Pack of young fools.”
[35] “Martin.” And Bobby Martin watched his father go forward. “Overdyke... Percy.”
[36] “I wish they’d hurry,” Mrs. Dunbar said to her older son. “I wish they’d hurry.”
[37] “They’re almost through,” her son said.
[38] “You get ready to run tell Dad,” Mrs. Dunbar said.
[39] Mr. Summers called his own name and then stepped forward precisely and selected a slip from the box. Then he called, “Warner.”
[40] “Seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery,” Old Man Warner said as he went through the crowd. “Seventy-seventh time.”
[41] “Watson.” The tall boy came awkwardly through the crowd. Someone said, “Don’t be nervous, Jack,” and Mr. Summers said, “Take your time, son.”
[42] “Zanini.”
[43] After that, there was a long pause, a breathless pause, until Mr. Summers, holding his slip of paper in the air, said, “All right, fellows.” For a minute, no one moved, and then all the slips of paper were opened. Suddenly, all the women began to speak at once, saying, “Who is it?,” “Who’s got it?,” “Is it the Dunbars?,” “Is it the Watsons?” Then the voices began to say, “It’s Hutchinson. It’s Bill.” “Bill Hutchinson’s got it.”
[44] “Go tell your father,” Mrs. Dunbar said to her older son.
[45] People began to look around to see the Hutchinsons. Bill Hutchinson was standing quiet, staring down at the paper in his hand. Suddenly, Tessie Hutchinson shouted to Mr. Summers, “You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair!”
The story concludes with the grim and chilling resolution of the village's annual lottery. Tessie Hutchinson, who protests the fairness of the process, is revealed to hold the slip of paper marked with the black spot, designating her as the chosen one. Despite her cries of injustice, the villagers, bound by tradition, quickly move to carry out the ritual of encircling her and throwing stones at her.
"The Lottery" from THE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson. Retrieved from CommonLit. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Herd Behavior (2014)
By Commonlit Staff
Available on CommonLit. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0.
Background
[1] The term “herd behavior” comes from the behavior of animals in herds, particularly when they are in a dangerous situation such as escaping a predator. All of the animals band closely together in a group and, in panic mode, move together as a unit. It is very unusual for a member of the herd to stray from the movement of the unit.
[2] The term also applies to human behavior, and it usually describes large numbers of people acting the same way at the same time. It often has a connotation of irrationality, as people’s actions are driven by emotion rather than by thinking through a situation. Human herd behavior can be observed at large-scale demonstrations, riots, strikes, religious gatherings, sports events, and outbreaks of mob violence. When herd behavior sets in, an individual person’s judgment and opinion-forming process shut down as he or she automatically follows the group’s movement and behavior.
Examples of Herd Behavior
[3] Herd behavior in humans is frequently observed at times of danger and panic; for example, a fire in a building often causes herd behavior, with people often suspending their individual reasoning and fleeing together in a pack. People in a crisis that requires escape will attempt to move faster than normal, copy the actions of others, interact physically with each other, and ignore alternative strategies in favor of following the mass escape trend.
[4] Another commonly cited example of human herd behavior is the phenomenon of stock market bubbles. Large stock market trends often begin and end with a mass frenzy of buying (bubbles) or selling (crashes). Many observers see these stock market trends as examples of herding behavior because individuals are driven by emotion rather than reason to “join the crowd”; greed drives mass buying frenzies, and fear drives crashes.
Behavior in Crowds
[5] A more obvious example of human herd behavior occurs in dense public crowds or mobs. Crowds that gather because of a grievance or protest can involve herding behavior that becomes violent. Psychologists posit that a “group mind” can overtake a mob and embolden people to act in ways they would not individually, increasing the likelihood that situations become violent.
[6] Sporting events can also create herd behavior on a violent scale. The football hooliganism prevalent in Europe in the 1980s is a well-known example of sports-related herding behavior and violence. Overzealous fans of football teams often engaged in unruly or destructive behavior in the name of supporting their team and intimidating the rival team, to the extent that people involved could be badly injured or even killed.
[7] Some historians believe that Adolf Hitler purposefully took advantage of herd behavior psychology by planting a significant number of undercover German officers in the crowds at his speeches. These officers would enthusiastically cheer for Hitler, and the rest of the crowd followed suit, making it seem as if the entire crowd supported Hitler. These speeches would then be broadcast to a larger public audience, magnifying the effect.
Everyday Decision-Making
[8] Herd behavior does not always have such harmful effects; it can be influential in people’s everyday, simple decisions. For example, suppose that a family is walking down the street looking for a restaurant to have dinner. If they pass a restaurant that is empty and one that is relatively crowded with patrons, they are far more likely to choose the crowded one, on the assumption that it’s better because there are more people there. Herding can be subtle in this way; it simply involves people’s tendency to follow a crowd rather than carve out an individual path in many situations
Which statement expresses an idea found in BOTH the excerpt from “The Lottery” and the excerpt from the article "Herd Behavior"?
A.Group actions can often lead to positive and productive outcomes.
B.People in a group are more likely to act independently and make rational decisions.
C.Individuals often follow the crowd without questioning, even when the behavior may seem irrational.
D.Traditions and routines help maintain stability in society.
22.
Read these quotations from the selection and the article.
The Lottery
The people had done it so many times that they only half listened to the directions; most of them were quiet, wetting their lips, not looking around. (paragraph 20)
It often has a connotation of irrationality, as people’s actions are driven by emotion rather than by thinking through a situation. (paragraph 2)
Herd Behavior
BOTH of these quotations support the idea that -
A.Group behavior is usually based on well-thought-out reasoning.
B.Individuals in a group are capable of resisting traditions.
C.Following group behavior can suppress individual critical thinking.
D.Traditions are questioned and adapted when necessary.
1 answer
For the first question regarding which statement expresses an idea found in both "The Lottery" and "Herd Behavior," the correct answer is:
C. Individuals often follow the crowd without questioning, even when the behavior may seem irrational.
This statement aligns with the themes presented in both texts, where characters in "The Lottery" participate in a ritual without questioning its morality or rationale, and the concept of herd behavior illustrates how individuals often follow group actions, driven by emotion and panic, rather than rational thought.
For the second question about the quotations provided, the correct answer is:
C. Following group behavior can suppress individual critical thinking.
Both quotations indicate that group behavior can lead to a lack of individual thought. In "The Lottery," the villagers only half listen and do not actively engage in the process, while the article states that herd behavior is often driven by emotion rather than rational thought, demonstrating that individuals may not critically analyze their actions when part of a group.
1 answer