The lottery is a popular game that has grown to be an industry of its own, contributing billions to the economy every year. While it has not always been popular with economists, there is no doubt that people enjoy playing it and believe it leads to a better life. Nevertheless, the odds of winning are quite low. It is important to understand how the lottery works in order to make a rational decision about whether or not to play.

Originally, lotteries were a form of entertainment at dinner parties in the fourteenth century. The guests would receive tickets that had been numbered and handed out by the host. The prizes were articles of unequal value such as fine dinnerware.

In the modern era, lottery is widely used to raise money for state and local projects. It was a popular way for politicians to finance their services without raising taxes, and thus avoid being punished at the polls. It was also a way for states to appear to be generating revenue out of thin air.

In this short story, the author portrays how human nature is evil and how people can condone any type of activity with less thought on its negative impact in general. The names of the characters in this story depict that. Besides, the author uses imagery to further emphasize the evilness of human beings. It is a very interesting short story and I recommend you read it.