In Shirley Jackson’s short story ‘The Lottery,’ the protagonist is a character who embodies the values of tradition and community, which can primarily be represented by Tessie Hutchinson. She is an ordinary woman who becomes increasingly anxious as the lottery unfolds. Initially, Tessie participates like everyone else, but as the plot progresses and she becomes the victim of the lottery’s brutal outcome, her conflict with the society’s enforced tradition comes to the forefront.
The antagonist in ‘The Lottery’ is not a singular character but rather the societal norms and traditions that govern the community. This tradition, which dictates that a member must be sacrificed annually for a supposed benefit, stands in stark opposition to Tessie’s plea for fairness and reason. The villagers, including Tessie’s own family, embody this collective antagonist, as they uphold and enforce the barbaric ritual without questioning its morality.
By presenting Tessie’s desperate struggle against the suffocating grip of tradition, Jackson critiques the dangers of blindly following societal norms, making the antagonist’s nature a broader commentary on human behavior and conformity.