“Jackson’s The Lottery. “ by Nathan CervoParallels with Christianity and the Crucifixion are evident in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery.' Mispronunciation of the name Delacroix, which means 'of the Cross,' symbolizes the villagers' misinterpretation of the Crucifixion and the mass. Christian tradition is mixed with Hebrew and Egyptian religious thought and practice. The village lottery is thus a primitivistic interpretation of the selection of a scapegoat and its stoning to death. Historical and anthropological data cited by James L. Meagher, however, suggests that the victim of the lottery is a parodic symbol of Christ rather than the traditional scapegoat figure.