Tradisi dan Kekerasan Kolektif dalam Cerpen "The Lottery": Kajian Sosiologi Sastra

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the interrelation between tradition, collective violence, and social pressure in The Lottery, a short story by Shirley Jackson, using a sociological approach to literature. This approach is applied through descriptive qualitative analysis and close reading of the text, examining how social structures and cultural norms are reflected in the narrative. The findings reveal that the annual lottery ritual in the story is carried out from generation to generation without critical questioning, to the extent that ritual violence—stoning the selected individual to death—is normalized as part of tradition. This annual practice functions as a form of cultural hegemony: it sustains the village’s social structure and leads the community to perceive violence as something “natural” or acceptable. The uncritical continuation of tradition transforms brutal acts into routine practices that are no longer seen as disturbing or abnormal by the villagers. Furthermore, strong social pressure within the community ensures full conformity. The villagers are reluctant to question the ritual despite their doubts; dissenting voices are suppressed through social expectations such as being “a good sport” or the belief that everyone has an equal chance in the lottery. As a result, the characters demonstrate a conflict between personal conscience and collective demands reinforced by group pressure. This social pressure ultimately compels individuals to conform, even to the point of suppressing their own moral judgment. In conclusion, The Lottery illustrates how inherited traditions and group solidarity can construct collective violence as a normalized social practice. The story presents a sociological critique, showing that blind adherence to tradition and the dynamics of social pressure can transform ordinary individuals into agents of cruelty.