Lottery is a form of gambling wherein people purchase tickets with numbers that are drawn at random. It is one of the most popular forms of gambling in the United States, contributing to billions in revenues every year. However, it is important to know that winning the lottery is a rare occurrence, and most people who do win end up going bankrupt in a few years. The best way to minimize the risk of losing is to play small amounts and avoid spending more than you can afford to lose.
The setting of the story is a remote American village that is steeped in tradition and custom. The characters in the story are characterized by their actions and the setting. This is a typical method of characterization, as it allows the reader to understand the motivation and actions of each character in the story.
Jackson’s description of the way the villagers treat each other is disturbing. The villagers “greeted each other and exchanged bits of gossip and manhandled each other without a flinch of pity.” This is a clear indication that the villagers are evil in nature.
When a lottery is established, its revenues expand dramatically at first and then begin to level off. This typically prompts the introduction of new games in an attempt to maintain or increase revenues. However, the resulting fragmentation of authority and the continuing pressure for additional revenue make it difficult to establish a coherent state lottery policy.