y. As you read the story you can pick out the symbolism in the names of the townspeople, items used in the lottery, and even the time period in which the story is set. The names of the townspeople in the story all represent something that has to do with the story. Mr. Summers is the lottery official. He is a bright and cheerful man, with plenty of energy. His demeanor and attitude toward everything suggests the cheerfulness of the season of summer. His name represents the fact that the lottery takes place on June 27 a week after the summer solstice. Mr. Graves is another character with a significant name. He is Mr. Summer’s assistant, who watches the black box that. Amy Griffin says that his name give a suggestion to the dark undertone of the lottery (Griffin). Mr. Warner is the oldest man in the community. When people start talking about getting rid of the lottery he warns them that they should not stray from tradition. ““Pack of crazy fools,” he said. “Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll want 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( Arp 425).” You can see from these remarks that Old Man Warner has no desire to give up the lottery. He is an old person with old views and thinks only bad things will come from breaking tradition. Mrs. Delacroix’s name isn’t as blatant as the other but just as symbolic. The root Croix from Delacroix means crucifix. ”Jay Yarmove thinks that her name is a foreshadowing of what is to become of Tissue. (Raymore)” Peter Koneke also informs us that Mr. and Mrs. Adams, whose last name is a suggestion of humanity, try to speak up against the ...
