Use of Scapegoats in The Lottery and in Our World

An obsession exists in the world today based solely upon the use of scapegoats. According to the dictionary, a scapegoat consists of a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. Some of the most influential scapegoats consist of Jesus Christ taking suffering for the sins of civilization, the Jewish population being punished for the problems in Germany, and more recently the U.S. citizens who perished in 9/11 being punished for the sins of America. Scapegoats have come in many forms over time and have been very destructive. The usage of scapegoats in our society, such as in Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery†, has proved to be damaging, and an end must be found in order to find peace.†¦show more content†¦Due to this frightening logic, the terrorists felt it was acceptable to punish groups of America that possibly weren’t even aware of whatever problems the terrorists might be facing. There have been a daunting amount of extremely violent uses of scapegoats in the world’s history. If the world plans to enter a peaceful era, this trend must cease. It has been quite evident how poorly scapegoats have worked in the past, and this alone should be sufficient reason to cause a movement of change for the betterment of civilization. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn about just how many examples of scapegoats have come to light throughout the ages. Scapegoats result from apathy or also a lack of responsibility, which has recently been a growing trend in the United States. It is quite obvious to see how lazy a large percent of Americans are with the exaggerated use of fast food corporations and the health problems that are provoked by the exponentially increasing laziness that keeps many citizens from taking care of themselves through healthy eating and exercise. So if it is so common for Americans to be lazy about those aspects, then it simply goes to follow that they would be just as lackadaisical when it comes to taking responsibility upon them. In Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery†, the openingShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1602 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery,† is a story about the need to find a sin offering to appease the community’s superstition while everyone else plays the scapegoat. The term and practice of using a sin offering and scapegoat can be traced back to the Bible in Leviticus chapter 16. Aaron, the brother of Moses, is the high priest for the nation of Israel. He is the only one who could enter into Holy of Holies, the place in the Jewish tabernacle that held the ark of the covenant and where God dweltRead MoreUse of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson1146 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism. Symbolism is the use of object, name, or person to represent an idea. 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