How Is Odd Diction Used In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” a lottery is drawn and the villagers stone a person to death each year as a tradition. The theme of the story is to not blindly follow traditions and to question things. The author uses a variety of writing methods like symbols, dialogue, and odd diction to develop suspense. A way the author develops suspense is by using odd diction throughout the story. The text states, “School was recently over for the summer, and the feeling of liberty sat uneasily on most of them…” (Jackson 25). In this quote from “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson uses the words liberty and uneasily, these words do not match with each other and create an ominous tone. Another example of this is when the author describes how the men were hesitant to hold the box and describing how the villagers were quiet.

Tessie is a big example of this in in the story when she and Mrs. Hutchinson make a joke before the village start the lottery. The text states, “” Thought we were going to get on without you, Tessie.” Mrs. Hutchinson said grinning, “Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink, now, would you Joe?” and soft laughter ran through the crowd…”” (Jackson #). This actively demonstrates that the villagers see nothing wrong with it and are blindly following the so-called tradition they do each year. Tessie also doesn’t see anything wrong with the tradition until she knows there’s a chance she can be