In Jackson’s piece of writing, she started off the use of irony through the title itself, “The
lottery”. Generally, a lottery symbolizes something good such as, winning a prize, or gaining something
valuable. However, the lottery in Jackson’s writing symbolizes a different meaning contrast to the real
meaning of a lottery. In Jackson’s short story, after the drawing of the lottery, it was narrated that,
“Tessie Hutchinson was in the center of a cleared space by now, and she held her hands out desperately
as the villagers moved in on her. Then, a stone hit her on the side of the head.” (379). In that statement, it was revealed by the end of the story that the gathering which was conducted symbolizes the barbaric ritual that went
on
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for over the years. Another strategic method that Jackson incorporated in her writing to show irony is through the dramatic shift in the setting and situation of the story.
At the start of the story, the setting was described
like just another beautiful summer day. It was also implied that there will be a gathering as the people of
the village began to assemble at the town square. It seems like a perfectly normal day, as it was also
stated at the beginning of the story that the townspeople were doing mundane things, such as children
playing and gathering stones while the men and women of the village began to greet each other and take
part in their daily chit chat. It was ironic how jackson persuaded and made her readers view in the
beginning of the story that nothing is out of the ordinary. The dramatic shift in the story was revealed by
Jackson later in the story when the townspeople started stoning one of their own.
Lastly, she grasps the reader’s attention by the shocking turn out of event at the end of the
story due to the horrifying behavior of the characters in her written piece. From the start of the story, the
interaction between the townspeople were in a friendly and cordial manner. So, it was startlingly
horrifying especially when it was stated by the end of the story that “Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone
so large she had to pick it up with both hands…” (379) when she and Mrs. Hutchinson were just both laughing earlier and were in good terms. Also, It was ironic that the townspeople did not even question their unethical behavior when they stoned to death Mrs. Hutchinson. There was a big shift with the behavior of the characters from start to ending that is why the readers of Jackson’s story are extremely horrified by the ending. Jackson’s purpose to use irony in her piece of writing is to evoke the reader's attention and curiosity. The theme in her writing mainly focuses that nothing is out of ordinary in the story. Through the strategical method of using different kinds of irony in her story she captured her reader’s attention. Jackson’s story the lottery made a huge impact on her readers because of the brutal horrifying truth that some people are capable of doing such immoral things.
Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery', is a story that is filled with symbolism. The author uses symbolism to help her represent human nature as tainted, no matter how pure one thinks of himself or herself, or how pure their environment may seem to be. The story is very effective in raising many questions about the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. 'The Lottery' clearly expresses Jackson's feelings concerning mankind?s evil nature hiding behind traditions and rituals. She shows how coldness and lack of compassion in people can exhibit in situations regarding tradition and values. Jackson presents the theme of this short story with a major use of symbolism. Symbolism shows throughout the setting of 'The Lottery,' the objects, the peoples actions, and even in the time and the names of the lucky contestants.
I had been in the village for all but a week when I realized there was something... wrong. There seemed to be an underlying atmosphere of fear and animosity. Of course, with my wide-eyed, innocent thinking at the time, I assumed the presence of Satan had damaged the townspeople 's trust of one another. Again, I blissfully accepted this, and I was wrong.
...it up to each reader to draw their own conclusions and search their own feelings. At the false climax, the reader was surprised to learn that the quite, well-liked, polite, little convent girl was colored. Now the reader had to evaluate how the forces within their society might have driven such an innocent to commit suicide.
Dramatic irony is one type of irony that is shown throughout this short-story.”The third caught on the edge and fell outside onto the ground at Miss Strangeworth's feet” (Jackson 254). This quote shows dramatic irony because the readers knew the letter fell onto the ground, but Miss Strangeworth did not. Also, foreshadowing is evident when the author continuously mentioned the roses. “Miss Strangeworth never gave away any of her roses, although the tourists often asked her” (250). This foreshadows how much Miss Strangeworth love and cherish her roses and would never let anything happen to them. Another way foreshadowing was shown was how the author discuss everyone in the town. “Many people seemed disturbed recently, Miss Strangeworth thought” (251). This explains something is bothering everyone in the town except Miss Strangeworth. Irony was shown throughout the story “The Possibility of Evil,” but also in “The Skating
the end of the novel, and the end of the year she has grown up and
Jackson uses the lottery itself to function as an ironic symbol of tradition in the story. In today’s society, a lottery is an event that has positive connotations related to it. A lottery a game that is associated with fun, chance, fun, and expectation. Good things usually result from lotteries especially for those who win. Furthermore, those who don’t win have nothing to lose. Lotteries bring forth a feeling of great expectation of a wonderful outcome. Through out the story, the lottery is projected as a harmless and affable pastime, which is how it is used in today’s society; however, by the end of the story it ends with disaster.
Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 989.
Although Shirley Jackson had many psychological problems, she contributed greatly to society through her works. Shirley Jackson was a profound and ambivalent writer. She did not write to please the world but she wrote to convey how she felt about societies in the world. Her psychological problems did have an affect on her writing and it greatly connects with her life. Shirley Jackson was a very unwelcomed writer in her time and that is because many readers did not want to believe that what she wrote was true. Jackson wrote on the horrors that the human being is capable of. Furthermore, Jackson’s mental state only strengthened her work, giving her the advantage of a new perspective; one that most individuals in society lacked.
Authors put us to believe that the villagers are devotional, and take this event really series.
Another form of symbolism is found in the use of items associated with the lottery. For example “ Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson 2) In this sentence Children are picking up rocks which they do because of their elders. In this sentence Jackson shows the true darkness of ...
Having the setting take place in a house where the narrator herself feels uncomfortable, it does not help to give her restrictions in an area in which she is already unhappy. “I am afraid, but I don’t care ---- there is something strange about the house ---- I can feel it” (...
The primary message that Jackson shows in “The Lottery” is that people can be involved with such a violent act and think nothing of it. In the story all the people are happy, “they stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed.”(244) All the people in the town gather together without question to perform this horrible act of murder. All the people think nothing of this terrible act. Mr. Summers the man that runs the whole lottery says, “guess we better get started, get this over with, so’s we can go back to work.”(245) This illustrates how they think of the lottery as an everyday occurrence. Old Man Warner says, “lottery in June, c...
During the story, the unreal elements of the story started with the fact that she kept her husband with her after he had been passed away for several days. The unreal elements of this situation is that anybody in her right mind wouldn't keep a dead body in the house with her and not tell anybody that he was dead. In a matter of time, the body would start to smell and start to rot.
townspeople we weary of her at first but most of them quickly warmed up to her. The town 's count did
The story opens with a plain comprehensive line that leads the reader into the narrative and sets the tone for what is to follow. The...