Irony In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

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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 …show more content…

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

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