Irony In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Most people follow traditions for many reasons, but some do not continue to follow the tradition if they forget why in the first place. However, some people like the townsfolk in Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery” proceed to blindly follow their tradition. In other words, instead of them having a purpose for their tradition, the lottery, they continue to have the lottery each year because it is normal. The townspeople now see the lottery as a very casual event rather than a tradition. They no longer focus on the purpose, instead they just do it. In “The Lottery”, the people of the town gather together to have a drawing. After one man is chosen then his family must come to draw to see who gets stoned (292, 295). The people do not realize the danger they are in or see the wrongs they commit. Shirley Jackson uses dialogue, irony, and

symbolism to show that people need to know why they follow traditions, otherwise, they may unknowingly cause harm.

Jackson uses dialogue to show the towns uncertainty of why they follow the lottery and to point out the importance that people need to know why they follow their traditions. For example, Old Man Warner points out, “Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery” (293). When Old Man Warner states that there “used to be a saying” he points out no one uses the saying anymore which proves that the people lack a reason for why that participate in the lottery. In reaction to the lack of reasoning for having the lottery Mrs. Adams states, “Some places have already quit lotteries” (293). She presents the option to stop having the lottery, but most people avoid listening to her because they are to used to having the lottery. Later in the story, Old Man Warner says once again, “‘It’s not

the way it used to be,’ [...] ‘People ain’t the way they used to be’” (295). Old Man Warner continues to point out the issue that people do not take part of the lottery for any known reason. The people see the lottery as very casual thing to do. When he points out that issue, he also unknowingly highlights the danger of blindly following tradition. Although he does not think the lottery is wrong, Jackson uses his character to show that the town blindly follows the tradition. Jackson uses Old Man Warner and the lady to show her readers why knowing why you follow a tradition is important. When people see others lack of knowledge for why they do something the some of those peers will look at things in their lives they may be doing for no reason. Jackson’s main goal is to show the significance for why people follow traditions. Just because something is done is not what should be done. Sometimes the best option is to not have the tradition at all.
The author also expresses her theme through the use of irony, such as situational and verbal irony to show her readers the dangers of not knowing why some things are done. When Jackson describes the setting, she writes about the children coming to the square running and playing while searching for stones. Then she proceeds to mention the men standing in the square talking about the crops, while their wives discuss the latest gossip (290). Everything appears as if they were gathered together for a celebration, but in the end, a person dies. The setting shows an example of situational irony. Jackson’s use of situational irony expresses her theme because the setting also shows the blindness the people have for their tradition. Additionally, Jackson uses verbal irony to show that the characters in the story act very casual towards the lottery. For example, Mr. Summer’s says, “that was done pretty fast, and now we’ve got to be hurrying a little more to get done in time” (294). Mr. Summer’s tells the people to hurry up so everyone can get home in time for supper which shows they see the lottery as very casual and not as a tradition or murder. Jackson’s use of irony in this paper helps others realize if they are also blindly following a tradition.
In addition to Jackson’s use of dialogue and irony to portray her theme, she also uses symbolism to unmask the darkness the people unknowingly follow. Durring the drawings, each head of the families must pull a sheet of paper out of a black box (291). The box’s appearance symbolizes the darkness and sin they commit. The box is described as “black”, “shabby”, and “splintered” (291). The color of the box represents the evil in the lottery while the shabbiness and splinters of the box symbolize the sin that still attacks although the townspeople no longer know why they follow the tradition. Jackson uses the black box to create an image of the darkness some traditions may contain.
Overall, Jackson uses dialogue, irony, and symbolism to express her theme and try to encourage people to search for the traditions in their lives they may blindly follow. Furthermore, Jackson does not only use those three tools to tell her theme, but like all writers everything in her story has a purpose to help her fully explain her theme.