Discuss specifically the possible symbolism of the elements in "The Lottery."Discuss the description of the black box; the description of the...

A haunting short story, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"
juxtaposes ordinary circumstances and activities with ones that are macabre.  Even in
her use of symbols, the ordinary become darkly significant.  For instance, Mrs.
Hutchinson's apron that in her haste she has forgotten to remove represents ordinary
daily life that is measured against the black spot that is on her slip of paper, marking
her abruptly for death.

The black
box, is splintered badly along one side, and grows shabbier every year,
yet this coffin-like box is pulled out every year because it is part of a tradition. 
Representing death, it is placed upon the three-legged stool by Mr. Summers and the
villagers "kept their distance, leaving a space between themselves and the stool" in
their fear of its ominous portent.

The
ceremony of drawing lots is symbolic of the ancient custom of finding a
scapegoat for the evils of the village.  By sending a scapegoat out into the desert to
die, the rest of the village would be saved from bad luck.  But, now, much of "the
ritual had been forgotten or discarded," so Mr. Summers has slips of paper substituted
for the chips of wood that were formerly used. Whereas there was formerly a ritual
salute and some procession, much has been "allowed to lapse."  But, the drawing of the
lottery is performed yearly simply because it is customary: When Mrs. Adams says, "Some
places have already quit lotteries," Old Man Warner says
"stoutly,"

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"Nothing but trouble in
that....Pack of young
fools." 

Clearly, Mr. Warner
believes in the lottery simply because it is
tradition.

The pile of
stones, those "symbols of preposterous time" as Golding writes
in Lord of the Flies, lies waiting for the victim.  The stones
represent the ancient and intrinsic predilection of people for violence and sadistic
pleasure.  Striking with stone after stone becomes an unthinking brutal act, a primitive
ritual, that is part of their natures: 

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Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual
and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use
stones.