How Does Shirley Jackson Use Symbols In The Lottery

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the author produces a story that contains symbols and their meaning. Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is basically trying to comprehend the readers what the symbols in the short story could mean. In “The Lottery” there are an amount of symbols that are included in the short story, such as, the black box, the stoning, the people who live in the village, and even the setting of the story. A symbol is represented through the use of objects. Furthermost noticeable of these objects would be the black box mentioned in the short story. “The postmaster, Mr. Graves, followed him, carrying a three-legged stool, and the stool was put in the center of the square and Mr. Summers

Symbolically it uses a meaning in the names of the characters indicating and foreshadowing what is yet to come. “He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business, and people were sorry for him, because he had no children and his wife was a scold.” (Jackson 108) Unlike many other characters in “The Lottery,” there are certainly a lot to find out about Mr. Summers. His name symbolizes the time of the lottery conducted, which is in the Summer time on June 27th. Suppose that Mr. Summers’ name represents the irony of the evil that awaits its place later in the short story, usually, summer is thought to be a joyful and cheerful time. Linking to the most obvious would be the name, Mr. Graves. Mr. Graves has no description, but of him being the postmaster of the village. He is the man whose name hints out where soon the winner of the lottery will end up, which is in the grave. Old Man Warner is known to be the oldest man in the village, which his name signifies a meaning. “The black box now resting on the stool has been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born.” (Jackson 108) Old Man Warner gives warnings to the villagers of the danger and consequence of giving up in the lottery. As far as it is seen, he has no family to be accompanied by, and he participated in the lottery for the seventy-seventh

It takes place in a normal small village on a nice sunny day. It is believed that it is used to trick the reader into a troubling and disturbing unaware state, and thinking to believe that the lottery is a splendid thing like it is on a nice summer day. It indicates the date and the warm temperature. “The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock.” (Jackson 107) The scene is specifically described clearly. The small village atmosphere and the beautiful summer day symbolize the ideal appearance of what most Americans possess of the right and good of the country. The town holds plenty of celebrations the same place the lottery is held, such as the square-dances and Halloween program, it displays how easy it could be for those in town to clear their consciences of such awful acts by being able to have a good time in occasions held in the same