There is more meaning behind each object and the importance it holds is what is focused on making it more understandable to readers. Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas by giving them symbolic meanings that do not coincide with their literal sense. For example, violets can symbolize shyness. Animals can also be represented as symbols. Here in the United States the bald eagle represents freedom and independence. A cross also represents religion and faith. Even today, teenagers and children use symbols when texting or on their social media sites. We see symbols every day and don't always pay much attention to them. Symbols are mostly used in literature and writing. Many of the greatest writers in history and even today use symbolism in their articles or novels. In the story, there is a small village that holds a lottery every June. When you think of a lottery you automatically think of something good or winning money. Well in this story that's not exactly the case. They have a lottery to see who will be chosen to be stoned so that they have a good harvest season. The story has characters like Mr. Summers who runs the lottery and Mr. Graves who helps him and people like Old Man Warner who is the oldest man in town and has participated in the lottery seventy-seven times. It's not like a drawing, but what happens is that the head of the family comes over and takes a piece of paper from a black box. Once each family has taken the piece of paper, they open it to see which family took the piece of paper with a black dot on it. In the story, it is the Hutchinson family who draws the sheet with the black dot. After each person in the family draws from the black box again who has the sheet of paper with black... in the center of the sheet...23 Help me. 123 Help Me, Inc., nd Web. March 17, 2014. Cassel, Seth. “The symbols in 'The Lottery'.” Flaming network. Litpick, LLC, November 2005. Web. March 17, 2014. Gahr, Elton and Rhonda Bowen, ed. "Understanding the symbols in 'The Lottery'." Education at Bright Hub. Bright Hub, Inc., January 5, 2012. Web. March 17, 2014. Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery”. Heritage of American literature. Ed. James E. Miller. vol. 2. Austin: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991. 1864. Print.Ma, Martine. "Literary Analysis Essay: 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson." Word print. NP, June 10, 2013. Web. March 17, 2014. Pirate Teacher and Lentz. "What are the symbols in 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson." Enote. Enotes, Inc., November 10, 2011 and September 19, 2012. Web. March 17, 2014. Scheelat, Lucas. "Symbolism in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery'." Reading reaction. NP, January 26, 2009. Web. March 17 2014.