Use Of Irony In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

In the short story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the author uses subversive irony to accentuate the underlying tenebrosity/inhumanity and lethality/brutality of the town and its people. The title “The Lottery” connotes a lottery with a winner who attains a reward or a positive involvement, but is ironic to the ending of the story. Jackson begins her short, startling/suspenseful story by establishing the setting as an idyllic town on an early summer day: “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). Jackson then sets the location in the town square where she describes the stereotypical actions and normality of the behavior of its residents; the eagerness of the children to play with one another and the congeniality and amiability of the adults. Immediately Jackson creates a comfortable atmosphere and a mood of peacefulness and tranquility as if nothing is erroneous in this quaint town. …show more content…
Jackson sets the time to mid- morning and identifies the significant buildings around the town square, clues to an ironic ending since most criminal activities happen at night. Furthermore, she fails to describe common buildings to all communities like churches or courthouses. It is also odd that the town celebrates Halloween and square dances, but does not celebrate usual holidays like Christmas or Easter. She then points out that the children are building “a great pile of stones in one corner of the square” (Jackson). All these details unfolds the irony that the quaint town is far from