Rhetorical Devices In The Lottery

Tradition plays a significant role in ones life. It provides a sense of belonging, faithfulness, and could strengthen ones values. But what happens when one blindly follows outdated traditions and laws that can hinder one and contribute to disastrous consequences? The short story and movie of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson both depict the dark outcome that follows when people are reluctant to reject old ideas and practices. However, the 1996 made-for-TV movie of “The Lottery” based on the short story is more effective in communicating Jackson’s argument about the danger of clinging to outdated tradition, laws, and the violent nature of humanity as she uses a diverse range of rhetorical choices to unfold the true intention of the mysterious …show more content…
In the beginning of the story, she uses a concrete type of diction to depict a vivid image of the setting of the story as she writes, “The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” (Jackson, 1) This description allows the readers to see and feel the scene as if they are part of the small town. By doing this, Jackson wants to enact a false belief into the minds of the readers that the setting is just an ordinary and happy town in order to contrast with the dark ending of the stoning of Mrs. Hutchinson. In contrast to the book, the movie shows the setting of a modern city with tall skyscrapers and advance technology that is not country-like. (The Lottery) This makes it hard for the audience to believe that people still cling onto outdated tradition and laws such as killing people by stoning them. The revealing of the setting in the movie makes it less effective in showing the horror of the plot and the brutality of the townspeople. In the story, the author does a better job at getting the audience to feel the happy mood of the town for a longer period of time than the movie because it is all texts and forces the readers to contextualize everything in their minds whereas in the movie, the audience knows from the start that the …show more content…
However, the movie version is more likely to be considered provocative due to its graphic and gruesome scenes presented. The movie also gives the audience a more visual representation of what they might interpret. Given the current cultural moment the movie is more provocative because movies in today’s society in which people see as scary or horror is very similar to the movie “The Lottery.” Both mediums depict the underlying message but the story itself holds more essence in showing Jackson’s