During the late 1940s, America was made up of small rural villages, in which it was customary for the community leaders to construct civic gatherings, to draw the citizens together at a time when the world was at war with one another. People were encouraged to socialize through town activities that drew them together and create a stronger, more cooperative community. This was the main theme of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”—a story centering on one of the rural communities in America during the 1940s. The story features a lottery being taken place in a community composed of 300 citizens (Jackson 1). Ironically, however, the family who draws the paper with the black spot, will draw again for the second time, with each member being represented in the draw. It was then that the Hutchinson Family was being drawn, and Tessie—or Mrs. Hutchinson—was the one who draws the paper with the black spot. She was put on their midst and then stoned to death. This paper reflects that obedience can be destructive, as it reflects the authoritarian conscience that turns humanistic nature into one that is supremely inhuman.
Obedience Signifies Injustice
Obedience signifies injustice, as reflected in Jackson’s “The Lottery” in which the person who draws the paper with the black spot is being stoned to death. As reflected in the story, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves are among those who lead the people for everyone to take part in the lottery. They are the ones who have the power to rule the people and make them obey, with everyone submitting with compliance to the rules of the lottery. As stated,
[T]he practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue to rule, is not because they are most likely to be right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest. (Thoreau, par.4)
As seen in the story, the majority of the people who rule in all cases, cannot basically be ruled by justice, especially since the one who draws the black spotted paper is being stoned to death without any proper reason for doing so. The people seems to have no conscience to what is right or wrong, but would rather give in to the dictations of the leaders and those who are strongest in the community. With this, obedience to ruling becomes destructive.
Obedience Signifies Torture
Obedience signifies torture, as reflected in Jackson’s “The Lottery” in which the person who draws the black spotted paper is tortured and stoned to death. This is said to be a crime of obedience that, based on the article of Herbert Kelman, is crime taking place
under explicit instructions from the authorities to engage in acts of torture, or in an environment in which such acts are implicitly sponsored, expected or at least tolerated by the authorities. (Kelman 125-126)
It is an act considered to be unlawful, illegal, or immoral, but is being performed in obedience to those who are in authority, such as the lottery being held in the story of Jackson. Yet, history proves that those who are in authorities are the ones who insist, encourage, and tolerate these systematic policies of torture. As for the perpetrators, they respond willingly to those who are in authority, and obey their commands, even if it means taking the life of another citizen who may even be their neighbor. Even the children of the community can take part in the event, as seen in the story of Jackson, wherein children make “a great pile of stones in one corner of the square” (Jackson 1). It is evident therefore, that obedience to ruling becomes destructive both to the community and the person being tortured.
Obedience Signifies the End of Human History
Obedience signifies the end of human history, as reflected in the article of Erich Fromm, entitled “Obedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem”. Obedience, according to Fromm, is not an act of submission but one that signifies affirmation (Fromm 138). This is because those who obey have merely chosen to obey the one in authority, although they also have the freedom not to obey. In the story however, the citizens both affirm and submit to those who are in authority and choose to torture Mrs. Hutchinson and stone her to death. They seem to have an authoritarian conscience, so that they end up without questioning the matter on whether it is rightful to stone Mrs. Hutchinson without any rightful cause, except that she draws the black spotted paper. What they lack is the humanistic conscience that should give them “an intuitive knowledge of what is human and inhuman, what is conducive of life and what is destructive of life” (Fromm 138). Without humanistic conscience, it will be the end of human history, since it is crucial for people to function as human beings who have the conscience to do what is rightful to the community and those who live in it. Thus, obedience to ruling can become destructive without having to apply humanistic conscience.
Conclusion
Obedience can be destructive if it reflects authoritarian conscience that turns humanistic nature into one that is supremely inhuman. There are three basic reasons justifying this cause. First, obedience signifies injustice and thus, can be destructive. Second, obedience signifies torture and so, can be destructive. Third, obedience can signify the end of human history, as it engages people to do what is destructive to both nature and those living in it. If this is the case, then it is not always true that obedience is primarily advantageous, for there are times when there should be disobedience done to counteract the act of obedience and thus, prevent people from the act of destroying humankind. People should have humanistic conscience before doing something grave to humanity.
Works Cited:
Fromm, Erich. “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem.” Juxtapositions: Ideas for College Writers. Ed. Maelene Clark. Boston: Pearson Custom, 2007. 136-142.
Jackson, Shirley. The Lottery. Middlebury U, 2010. Web. 2 May 2016.
Kelman, Herbert C. “The Policy Context of Torture: A Social-Psychological Analysis.” International Review of the Red Cross 87.857 (2005): 123-134.
Thoreau, Henry David. “On Civil Disobedience.” American Literature. 13 July 2015. Web. 2 May 2016.
Other Source:
American Literature. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. N.d. Web. 2 May 2016.
