Traditions are something that is passed down from generation to generation. Tradition becomes part of who we are as a society. Shirley Jackson pokes fun at the way society blindly follows certain traditions. The characteristics of Jackson's story create a parallel with Catholicism, insisting on our fear of change but our ability to manipulate what we want from our traditions and based on Catholicism's belief in the innocence of children. Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" made a clear connection to Catholicism by encouraging us to open our eyes and question our blind faith in tradition. The Catholic religion has been practiced for centuries lasting through the Crusades and in every Easter holiday, Shirley Jackson uses this long-standing tradition method of connecting her characters to the Catholic religion, because as bizarre as this tradition may seem, it stands the test of time . Through her characters Shirley Jackson shows their reluctance to give up the lottery by showing society's fear of change. This fear of change is seen primarily through Old Man Warner. He has seen more than seventy-seven lotteries and believes that without one of them everything will be different. When someone says that other villages have given up on the lottery, Old Man Warner exclaims that "there's nothing but trouble in this, you pack of young fools" (Jackson 368). Calling them foolish young men, Old Man Warner criticizes them for changing something that has always existed. For a character who knows nothing but the lottery his entire life, changing something as big as this tradition could be disastrous for his civilization. The Catholic religion has been active for centuries and passed down through the family. When Catholicism is practiced in a family, children begin to go to church... middle of paper... religion and the lottery. Religion and lottery are two concepts of our society and Jackson's fictional society that are simply followed blindly. Shirley Jackson wrote this story to force society to question why they follow such traditions. These traditions exist because they have always existed. Blind faith is exactly what all of his characters do in “The Lottery” and what Catholics have when faced with Jesus. The “Lottery” perhaps for the heaviest harvests in the month of June (Jackson 368). While the Catholic religion is for a higher faith and purpose. This is how Shirley Jackson takes the path of society by forcing us to open our eyes. He wants us to understand the parallels, do something positive, and learn from what happens. Things may not have the same brutal ending, but if they have no rhyme or reason what is our reason to believe them?.