Genuine character is exposed in the decisions people make under pressure. Characterization is a central technique used strategically by writers such as Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allen Poe to give readers a unique perspective. The use of setting and irony also play an important role in helping the audience understand a character. In the short story The Lottery, Jackson uses literary devices such as setting and irony to characterize the dark side of a seemingly innocent town.
Irony is the contrast between the readers’ expectation and reality. Shirley Jackson strategically uses the title “The Lottery” to give the reader the idea of comfort and wealth. The audience quickly finds out that the lottery is actually a ritualistic sacrifice practiced by the seemingly innocent townspeople. Horror …show more content…
Shirley Jackson describes the setting of the town by saying, “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”, after reading this introduction, the reader would not expect such a terrible incident to occur. This is an example of irony with the use of setting. In this case, Shirley uses irony and setting synergistically to characterize the violent nature of the town and the townspeople despite the beauty and innocence of the setting. By the end of the short story, this seemingly innocent town succumbs to absolute savagery. Edgar Allen Poe uses a similar writing technique in his short story “The Cask of Amontillado”. In this short story, the setting starts off in celebration at the yearly carnival. Poe describes the environment and the main characters Fortunato and Amontillado by saying, “It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that
Irony is the contrast between the readers’ expectation and reality. Shirley Jackson strategically uses the title “The Lottery” to give the reader the idea of comfort and wealth. The audience quickly finds out that the lottery is actually a ritualistic sacrifice practiced by the seemingly innocent townspeople. Horror …show more content…
Shirley Jackson describes the setting of the town by saying, “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”, after reading this introduction, the reader would not expect such a terrible incident to occur. This is an example of irony with the use of setting. In this case, Shirley uses irony and setting synergistically to characterize the violent nature of the town and the townspeople despite the beauty and innocence of the setting. By the end of the short story, this seemingly innocent town succumbs to absolute savagery. Edgar Allen Poe uses a similar writing technique in his short story “The Cask of Amontillado”. In this short story, the setting starts off in celebration at the yearly carnival. Poe describes the environment and the main characters Fortunato and Amontillado by saying, “It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that