"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.

The Lottery is such a complex work that even the author, Shirley Jackson couldn't explain it when questioned of its meaning. Division of Labor and Capitalism are huge themes in this story. And there is also the position that man is not yet so advanced that he still won't hesitate to perform acts of violence if it is acceptable to the general populace. There is the "monkey see monkey do" complex, which is also illustrated. …

…Tessie to be symbolic, almost biblical, because she a victimized due to her non-conformist beliefs. She goads her husband, arrives late for the town's most important annual event and lastly makes remarks which are disparaging about the lottery. If the gender role-reversal didn't get her then the blasphemy against the sacred event (lottery) would have. Tessie Hutchinson was bound to be the scapegoat in this story, because she represented what the town did not want--change.