Guilty or Innocent

Michelle Asmar

Professor Cadorin

Experiences in Literature

22 November 2011

Guilty or Innocent?

Insanity, the legal term for crazy, is difficult to define when determining one's insanity or innocence. It is important, especially in legal cases, jurors agree on the same or a very similar definition of what is considered insane. One hundred and seventy seven college students from Cameron University participated in a study asking them to rate different definitions of insanity. The students choose from seven definitions: A moral model that described insanity as sinful behavior; a medical model, which defined insanity as a disease with diagnosable symptoms and a prognosis; a statistical model, which defined insanity as infrequent or rare behavior; a sociological model which discussed behavior within a society and those who observed that behavior as the two criteria for defining insanity; a psychometric model which defines insanity as scoring above or below a certain point on a test; a professional judgment model, which suggests that any behavior being treated by a qualified physician or clinical psychologist is abnormal; and a legal model which defines insanity as abnormal behavior or thinking which shows lack of ability to understand the laws of society, or to appreciate the wrongfulness of one's actions. The results show the participants agreed mostly with the medical and sociological model (Geiger and Lawrence). It is complicated to state a person insane when there is no clear cut definition to back it up.

Shirley Jackson clearly depicts the main character, Tessie Hutchinson, innocent in "The Lottery." It is a tradition to gather the residents of the village for the annual lottery. Three hundred townspeople arrive and wait for the lottery to proceed on June 27th. The adults chat with one another while the children play. It is a sunny day which suggests the lottery is a happy event. Throughout the story, there are hints that prove otherwise. For example, each townsperson draws a piece of paper from a black box. The black box represents evil or death, suggested by the color of the box. There is one paper that contains a black dot on it, which determines which townsperson gets stoned to death. Tessie Hutchinson is the unlucky one. Before the lottery took place, Tessie was calm and free spirited enough to even forget the lottery was taking place today. Although, when she got chosen that all changed. "It isn't fair," she said as the first stone hit her on the head (Jackson 5). She is stoned for absolutely no reason. Tessie is innocent which means she did not do anything to deserve to be stoned other than the fact that it is a tradition in the village. Tessie would not be considered "not guilty" though.