THE LOTTERYThe lottery was going on. Tessie’s family were chosen, so the members of Tessie’s

family members would draw one paper each, but Tessie protested the lottery. “My

daughters who have married should also draw papers, because they are also a member of

my family. They had the same surname before they have married.”, she said. Her protest

was rejected.

The members of the family started drawing papers one by one and they were

showing the papers one by one after they drew. Tessise’s daughter and son were smiling like

a person who won a Noble Price, because they drew a blank paper. They were shining like

the Sun. Their faces turned out to be normal.

Tessie was getting frightened, because the number of the members who didn’t draw

any paper was decreasing, the only members who didn’t draw were his husband and she.

Her husband started going through the black box, which was a part of their life and which

was sacred for them. He was like a strained string. If they had allowed him to be loose, he

would relax. It was

possible for him, when he might draw a blank paper. He got closer to the patchy, black box.

While he was getting closer and closer, a drop of tear fell from Tessie’s eyes. This drop of

tear was symbolising fear of death.

Her husband was next to the bow. He was ready to draw a paper. He stirred the two

papers and drew one of them. He was very afraid and dissatisfied. He was not glad, because

either he would be killed or friend of his life, Tessie, could be killed. He started going his

place with small steps. He was wondering about the paper without listening to any voice. He

was about to have a heart attack because of nervousness and fear of death, because he

didn’t want to die.

Tessie drew the paper which left in the box. Then she went back to her place. She

was also wondering about the papers.

Both Tessie and her husband showed their papers. Tessie had the blank one, her

husband had the one with black spot.

When people in town saw the paper with black spot, they started getting the stones

in order to stone the scapegoat.

They were ready to stone him. Then they heard a voice. A man was shouting from far

away. He had a moustache and a beard, blue eyes and a small nose, a scar on his cheek and

a small mouth. He was about 1.78 m long. He was wearing a suit and carrying a handbag. He

was a lawyer from the city. He came closer to the people and started talking.

“I heard that you were doing an old-fashioned tradition which is the lottery, but I

think this is a kind of madness, because you’re killing an innocent people in order to increase

the harvest, but it doesn’t increase the harvest. Look at the other towns. They gave up doing

this tradition, and they are getting very good harvest every year. You don’t need to sacrefise

any people in order to get a better harvest. As we see it is morally wrong, and also it is not

legal. You can’t kill innocent people for your target. It is forbidden by our laws. You don’t

have any rights to do so. Thus, I suggest you to give up doing the lottery in order not to be

put in jail and in order to have a happier life.”

All people agreed with what the lawyer said apart form Old Warner. Thus the people

in town threw the stones to the ground and they gave up doing this tradition although Old

Warner demanded protesting this idea.

By the help of the lawyer, the lottery has been given up and a man’s life was

saved.

İHSAN DOĞRAMACI FOUNDATION

ERZURUM BİLKENT LABORATORY HİGH SCHOOL

LITERATURE PROJECT/THE LOTTERY

STUDENT’S;

NAME: ERDAL

SURNAME: ERSOY

CLASS: 9/B

NUMBER: 82

TEACHER’S;

NAME: ESER

SURNAME: ARI

LESSON:LITERATURE