Since the ancient times, sacrifices have been performed by different religions and cultures. One kind of sacrifice is human sacrifice. The ancient Aztec and Peruvian were particularly noted for practicing this on a large scale, e.g. a human sacrifice would be made everyday in order to aid the sun in rising. Although it is considered as murder nowadays, human sacrifice for religious reasons still exist in a number of nations, such as India. Shirley's Jackson's short story, "The Lottery", its name ingeniously designed to mislead people, explores the theme of ritual sacrifice. Through the character's names and roles, the reader can understand more about Jackson's lottery, and its actual function as a life-giving ritual sacrifice.

Mr. Summers is one of the characters whose name gives us hints to the true nature of the lottery. He plays a huge role in the operation of the lottery. His name...