Irony And Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

If readers were to pay close attention to the events in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, then they might be able to infer what will happen before they come to the end. In The Lottery, Jackson makes use of many different literary devices such as irony and symbolism to depict how corrupt human nature really is. The Lottery is an event that happens once every year on June 27th. The day is described as, "clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green." The irony in that sentence is the day is described as beautiful when only hours later the town will participate in a brutal and disgusting murder. Many aspects of the lottery tradition were lost or faded slowly as time moved forward, but the lottery itself has stayed. Why would the townspeople who believe the lottery will assure a good corn crop allow certain parts of the tradition to be lost over the years? Is it because they get off and find enjoyment from a sick act of violence and do not actually care about the tradition itself?

Tessie Hutchinson arrived late to the gathering in the town square which is telling for her fate at the end of the story. Mr. Summers even makes a comment saying, "Thought we were going to have to get on without you." What he says can also be interpreted as a sign that something is going to happen to her during the story. The schoolboys collecting stones foreshadows what the winner of the lottery is going to receive and how they will meet their death. The town's unease and nervousness for the lottery beginning is another tell-tale sign that something is not right about what is going to