Use of Irony in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery Essay

“The Lottery” In the early to mid-20th century, the life of the New England villages was a quiet, quaint life, but beneath the surface, there was much more to the smiling faces. These small towns were littered with deep-set traditions and ideologies. As referenced northbennington.org, many of the townspeople in Shirley Jackson’s residence of North Bennington were this way as well. The writer mentions anti-Semitic comments towards her father and tense attitudes towards Blacks. These interactions…

joyful tone, “The Lottery” explores such paradoxical views on tradition shifting to a dark and sinister tone toward the end. In “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson expertly commands literary techniques such as symbolism, allusion, characterization, and verbal irony to convey her theme that those who protest archaic traditions are faced with grave consequences. By harnessing…

In the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the writer present one with various symbols and attributes that later donates the irony of what “The Lottery” in reality means. It is evident that what starts out as a bright and peaceful summer day later unfolds into a twisted stoning event. Each and every detail used in the short story is a clue connecting to the final eventuality of the story. Throughout this story, the writer does a great job of illustrating how objects, people, and…

Jackson’s Tradition During a summer day bright with sunlight, a town celebrates an ancient tradition that concludes with the sacrifice of the winning leader of the household. Mr. Hutchinson picks the winning black-smudged slip of paper from the infamous black box, but his wife objects, resulting in her immediate five family members having to draw from the box. She gives her husband a second chance at life, but unfortunately, the second drawing results in Mrs. Hutchinson’s unjustifiable death…

consequences of failing to question and criticize rituals can lead to the primitive downfall of human nature. In Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery,” villagers gather around to participate in the annual town lottery. An air of nervousness and distress surrounds the villagers as the young boys run to collect stones in one corner of the town square. Mr. Summers, the supervisor of the annual lottery, brings in a black box and a three legged stool. In the box are pieces of paper, all of…

Understanding the Irony in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” When someone wins the lottery they should win money or prizes or maybe even an expense paid vacation. No one ever dreams of being the winner of your own stoning. Shirley Jackson wrote about a cold blooded murder that the reader would not be prepared for and would lend to the shock value of becoming emotionally involved in this story. The reader is gently pushed in the direction of comfort and safety when the story begins through Jackson…

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” we read about a fictional small town which observes other communities both small and larger, throughout a contemporary America. Throughout this story we learn about a ritual which is known as “the lottery.” Throughout this paper I’ll be discussing the climax, main conflict and how this story relates to ‘The Hook’ in a scary and suspenseful way but first starting off with a short summary of the story. In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” a classic American short…

In Shirley Jackson’s 1948 short story “The Lottery,” Jackson describes a small community gathering around in the square to participate in the annual lottery on the morning of June twenty-seventh. She describes the distressing issues of humanity in society. Through symbolism, anonymous setting, character development, and irony, Jackson reveals how the concept of conformity can create darkness in human nature. She illustrates the power of conformity and violence of society’s cult. She conveys the…

An immoral act will be carried out if no one questions it. In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the community wholeheartedly takes part in the selection of one of their peers for random execution. People follow each other blindly even if the act goes against their will. Through the use of symbolism, irony, and atmosphere, Jackson portrays human beings’ unwillingness to question authority and the horrifying consequences of their actions. First, Jackson includes many examples of symbolism in her…

fictional short stories “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula LeGuin, the authors emphasize the idea of sacrifice for the good of society through the use of juxtaposition, foreshadowing, and hyperboles. The use of these elements throughout the stories are similar as they both demonstrate the principle of utility; however, each story is different in how it portrays the purpose of the sacrifice in its’ society. The authors use these literary elements…