Use context clues to determine the meaning of the word tradition as it is used in paragraph 5 of “The Lottery.” Write your definition of...

In the fifth paragraph of Jackson's "The Lottery," the word "tradition" appears as follows: "no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box." In the story, the black box holds the slips of paper representing each member of the village, with one slip bearing the infamous black spot that signifies the stoning of that person. The black box is old and splintered, but it is the original box...

In the fifth paragraph of Jackson's "The Lottery," the word "tradition" appears as follows: "no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box." In the story, the black box holds the slips of paper representing each member of the village, with one slip bearing the infamous black spot that signifies the stoning of that person. The black box is old and splintered, but it is the original box that was used when the villagers first began the practice of the lottery. Because the villagers are quite tied to their traditional practices, they do not want to replace the box with a newer one. The villagers do not want to "upset" any aspect of their ongoing practice, and for them, the black box is one of the iconic elements of this practice. "Tradition" in the context of the story refers to the act of blindly following a long-held practice, even if—like the black box—time prompts a revision of the practice.