Mob Mentality in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery

Abstract

This paper explores mob mentality in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery (19 and its connection to the theories of Gustave Le Bon, particularly his ideas on crowd psychology. Le Bon's concept of the "collective mind," which asserts that individuals in a crowd act emotionally rather than rationally, is reflected in the villagers' blind adherence to the violent lottery ritual. Jackson illustrates how group dynamics and tradition override individual morality, aligning with Le Bon’s belief that crowds are susceptible to suggestion and lose their sense of personal responsibility. This paper aims to analyze how Jackson uses Le Bon's theories to critique the dangers of conformity and unexamined traditions, while also exploring how the story exemplifies the loss of individual agency within a group. Ultimately, it will provide a deeper understanding of how crowd psychology shapes human behavior, particularly in the context of societal rituals and authority.