A key theme in Eric Scott’s memoir Picking Lots, is a theme of acceptance. Throughout his short memoir he expresses how normal paganism is to him. He knows nothing different. Unlike most people Scott was born into the religion he is writing about. He always noticed he was strange, but it wasn’t until college that he noticed he was completely different. “And at that moment, I realized that I was the weird one, that my friends were engaging in, at least from the standards of a Midwestern background, completely normal behavior (Scott, Picking Lots).” Here he is shocked that he was so different. Scott has his eye opening experience at this time in his life. Nothing changes in his way of viewing things but rather his faith is strengthened. He sees his friends participating in something so strange and cannot imagine believing anything other than paganism. “Every year I realize more how strange a gift is; and every year, I realize how much more grateful I am to have received it (Scott, Picking lots).” He becomes more and more grateful for his religion and what he is born into the more he sees others. Also he becomes accepting of others in becoming more comfortable with his own identity. He live to be open to others and develop as society does while still keeping his beliefs.
Scott does not tell the purpose of the memoir until the end of his story. I believe he does this to keep the reader interested in what he is saying. Also to show how drastically his perception of himself changed. He went from a normal child to very different to everyone around him. His culture shock is emphasized as he was too shocked by the situation to talk about it. As he builds in his purpose he expresses the importance of his own acceptance and the acceptance of other. The point of this memoir was to not help a lost person find their way in life, but reassure those who are confident in who they are.