“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson has been criticized, but its longevity and durability prove that it stands the test of time. In the article "Jackson's The Lottery", author AR Coulthard finds a deeper meaning in the story that other critics have not found. Coulthard believes that the story is a “parable of the evil inherent in human nature” rather than an “attack on mindless cultural conformity,” as other critics have suggested (Coulthard 226). Coulthard shows how something that probably began as a primitive and ignorant means of ensuring prosperity, evolved into a total need for sanctioned violence and murder. Coulthard offers some valid arguments to support his argument. Coulthard believes that the actions and behavior of the villagers are evidence of an underlying joy in killing. His analysis shows that the villagers mask their anticipation of the murder with false and thinly veiled social gestures. Coulthard highlights the contrast between the social friendship of Mrs. Delacroix and Tessie Hutchinson and how quickly this superficial friendship unravels when Tessie is chosen for sacrifice. Mrs. Delacroix “chose a stone so big she had to pick it up with both hands,” which stands in stark contrast to the behavior of a true friend (Jackson 393). Participating in the lottery causes the villagers to lose the ability to be empathetic and their family and friendship bonds suffer. The lottery encourages them to abandon the bonds of love and loyalty and tap into the deepest recesses of the darkness that lies within humanity. The lottery does not offer them prosperity, but deprives them of all that is good in humanity. The villagers are masked behind the evil that awaits them every year on a sunny day in June. The other 364 days... middle of paper ... kill too many to mourn inconsequential losses like love, friendship, and family, community, and human bonds. Works Cited Coulthard, AR "Jackson's THE LOTTERY." Explainer 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic SearchPremier. EBSCO. Internet. October 26, 2010.Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery” The story and its author: an introduction to short fiction.8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2011. 387-393. Print.Jackson, Shirley. "The Morning of June 28, 1948 and "The Lottery" "The story and its author: an introduction to short fiction. 8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 950-952. Print.