Unraveling an Appalling Secret

It was definitely a deplorable ending to "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Who knew that the small town of three hundred, all approaching each other with 'good mornings', talking of gossip and "speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes" (Jackson, page 227)could abruptly turn on each other and stone to death the one that pulls the black dot from the box?

I have to admit: I have seen this before, in the movie "The Wicker Man" and the book "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.

The film "The Wicker Man" conveys the same sort of idea that "The Lottery" does: a small, friendly town and a harsh, ghastly secret that isn't revealed until the end. It's all done like this in order to allow the audience to feel appalled, and no doubt exclaim, "what a twist!"

With this movie, the town has a celebration, or ritual that they follow every year. And it includes the one, same thing that the short story does: murder. It is horrible that such a festivity can occur with the death of an innocent life. As well, the only time that someone considers what the town is doing is wrong, it is when its their own life on the line. Such as Mrs. Hutchinson, who had screamed, "It isn't fair, it isn't right" (Jackson, page 234).

Conversely, the novel "The Kite Runner" has the same approach to murder, but it's not a yearly celebration. Citizens in small towns are forced to watch as sometimes wrongfully accused people are buried, then stoned to death. This is under the rule of the Taliban that such grotesque actions ensue. As well, the citizens must act as if they enjoy what they see. Connections from this novel to the short story can be made by the way of the murder (with stones), as well as the persuasion from a figurehead with authority (The Taliban, and Mr. Summers [The Lottery]).

Indifference is a word that applies to all three of these works. Under figureheads, a crowd of people will either act out of fear or apathy, loyalty or uncertainty, and commit horrendous acts. Indifference is something that is still seen today. The question is: when will someone finally stand up to what is wrong, and disown the word "indifference" from their vocabulary?