Final answer:
Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' critiques blind adherence to harmful traditions by depicting the violent outcome of an unquestioned ritual in an 'average' village, urging readers to reflect on their own societal customs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, the central point about traditions, rules, and human behavior is that people often follow inherited customs without questioning their morality or purpose, even when those traditions can be harmful. The story does this quite deviously by slowly revealing the barbaric climax of an otherwise mundane event. The shock and horror from the ending highlight how the villagers' adherence to tradition blinds them to the violence and inhumanity of their actions. They participate in the lottery with a sense of normalcy and even some excitement, showing how desensitized and unquestioning they are towards this harmful practice.
Moreover, the story's setting in an 'average' New England village with 'average' citizens serves to underscore the idea that this blind adherence to tradition can occur anywhere, and is not confined to a particular place or inherently evil community. It serves as a critique of society's capacity to uphold outdated and cruel practices under the guise of maintaining social order or following custom. Thus, Jackson's narrative compels readers to examine and critically evaluate the often unacknowledged power of tradition within their own lives and communities.