The 1940s in America ushered in a new era in history regarding violence and war. The end of World War II brought the world to witness the most horrific event in all of modern history; the dropping of the atomic bomb and, furthermore, the Holocaust. Born at the end of the Great War and living through World War II, graphic images of the violence that existed throughout her world filled Shirley Jackson's life. Jackson's husband, Stanley Edgar Hyman, wrote: “[Shirley's] ferocious visions of dissociation and madness, of alienation and withdrawal, of cruelty and terror, have been considered personal, even neurotic, fantasies. After two rounds of drawing, one to choose the family and the other to choose the member of that family, Tessie Hutchinson "wins" the lottery. She is then stoned to death by the rest of the town's people, including her own family. Because of the sudden horror in the story's twist, many people thought Jackson had mental problems and were quick to criticize "The Lottery." The publishers were considering not publishing the story due to the graphic content (Friedman 32). Jackson's inbox was flooded with letters criticizing the story, and some even thought the village was real and wanted to go see the annual ritual. “The Lottery” really hit home and shocked others (Hicks 146). In an attempt to portray the graphic realities of life during this time period, Shirley Jackson skillfully expresses the grim facts with her use of literary techniques. Although highly criticized for its inhumane depiction of callous brutality, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" illustrates through the characterization of Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson, the use of atmosphere and allegorical writing that violence exists throughout... in the midst of paper. .....roles that women had in the fictional village of “The Lottery” as shown through Mrs. Hutchinson, the story speaks directly to the culture of the mid 1900's. Additionally, Mrs. Hutchinson shows that violence in the world causes this to be lost which is good, which the atmosphere further exemplifies. While the story seems to speak directly to the harsh reality of this, it is actually an allegory describing the madness of war, and therefore the madness of violence. Through reading “The Lottery,” the reader gains a better understanding of their world and further applies the message presented to create a better future for the world. Shirley Jackson provided the literary community with a literary classic that will never be forgotten due to its highly controversial subject matter and sophisticated presentation of a powerful, life-changing message..