Question

The villagers talk of creating a new black box; however, they never do. this is probably because: the villagers talk of creating a new black box; however, they never do. this is probably because: mr. summers lacks the necessary time for such a task. they want to keep the parts of the very first box as long as possible. old man warner warns against it. they are fearful of breaking tradition.

Answer 1

The villager's reluctance to replace the black box in literature typically symbolizes the strong grip of tradition and the fear of change. This is a common theme explored in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" where the box is an old tradition that the villagers continue to follow despite recognizing its obsolescence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The references to the black box in the villager's discussions point to themes of tradition and change. In literature, the black box often symbolizes a community's adherence to traditional practices, sometimes to the point of ignoring the deterioration or impracticality of those traditions. This symbol is used in Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery", where the black box represents an old, ominous tradition that the villagers are reluctant to abandon, even when they acknowledge that it should be replaced. The hesitation or refusal to create a new black box despite recognizing the need may reflect the villager's fear of change and the comfort in the continuity of the known, even if it is not ideal or just.

Similar discussions can be seen in various literary works where characters are faced with the choice of following tradition or embracing change. The resistance to discarding the old box may also indicate a deep-seated belief in its supposed sacredness or an inherent power that they fear to lose, which is again, a commentary on how tightly some communities hold onto their traditions.