The most obvious example of irony in “The Lottery” is in the title of the story itself. When people think about the lottery, it is usually about winning a reward or a prize, and definitely not about being stoned to death. Shirley Jackson’s intention to name the title of this story as “The Lottery”, gives the readers an idea that someone will receive a reward. In fact, at the end of the story, the readers eventually realize that the reward is not what they think it’s going to be but rather a completely opposite thing. The second example of irony is in the setting of the story.
Usually there’s a winner in a lottery, but not in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”. This story intrigued me by it's suspenseful nature and it's chaotic events. In small town America, they come together once a year to perform an annual tradition. Mrs. Jackson demonstrates literary devices such as foreshadowing, mood, and conflict in “The Lottery”. Foreshadowing is used quite a few times in “The Lottery”.
When the winner is selected for the lottery, the stones are used by the fellow villagers to throw them at the person. Each name of the characters hold a meaning for the lottery or one that indicates what the future of the unlucky winner will be. The lottery date is one of the main symbols of the short story. It is set for the reader to believe that the lottery is wonderful event like a nice summer day, instead
As the infamous serial killer, Richard Ramirez, once stated, “We’ve all got the power in our hands to kill, but most people are afraid to use it. The ones who aren’t afraid, control life itself.” Although Ramirez was referring to a single person who may have the desire and intention to kill others, his quote still holds true for Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery. The people of the town hold an annual ritual of each picking a scrap of paper from a box, which ultimately chooses a sacrifice to ensure good crop for that year. The subtle darkness within the story becomes more prevalent with Jackson’s use of symbols and instances of irony.
In the lottery by shirly Jackson the author uses situational irony to describe how things aren't always what they seem and one little thing can turn someone's life upside down. situational irony to get the reader to believe the lottery is a good thing but little do they know it switches into a murder in this small town. The lottery takes place at the town square of a small village. The lottery has been around for many years and resembled tradition in the town.
It gets the reader excited for the tradition of the lottery when reading that the people in the village are seemingly excited too.
When the lottery was conducted by Mr. Summers, the writer began to reveal that something is askew, as the crowd got more anxious. As narrated in the story “most of them were quiet. Wetting their lips. Not looking around”. This shows that the villagers were nervous when the lottery began.
In 1948, when the New Yorker published Shirley Jacksons piece, “The Lottery,” it sparked outrage among readers, but could arguably be known as one of her most famous pieces of writing. In this short story, Shirley Jackson used literally elements such as imagery, diction, and symbolism to foreshadow the negative and harsh ending of the story; the harsh ending that sparked such outrage by society in the 1940’s. One of the main ways Jackson foreshadows the ending and true meaning of her short story, “The Lottery,” is through symbolism. Jackson uses the color black throughout the story.
In the beginning of the story, Jackson automatically begins the story perfect or in a sort of happy mood or tone. Jackson starts off with “The morning of June was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day, the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.”(351). This statement uses situational irony to perpetuate the readers to believe that a happy story was to come along. Jackson foreshadows these afflictions by using imagery to allow readers to assume the scene is too perfect and it to have a deeper meaning. As the story continues, the mood immediately changes, creating a foreshadowing effect that the lottery is not as warm as it seems.
In the short story "The Lottery" The style is described in the first sentence, "The morning of June 27th was clear and sonny, with the fresh warmth of a full day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green", and that kind of style is distinctive style. In this story there is a lot of verbal irony, also know as sarcasm. The sarcasm usually comes from Mrs. Summers because that’s how she gets her point a cross, but not in a bad way. The tone in the story I would say would be very consistent when I comes to the attitudes.
In “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson uses characterization, symbolism and themes to develop the action of the short story. First of all, one of the literary devices is characterization, Characterization in
“The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson is atypical of any other story from its time. Jackson utilizes a shift in tone that is emphasized through the event’s location, attendees, and rituals found within her work to take readers on a wild ride. What begins as an average day on June 27, unfolds into a situation that never could have been expected. Jackson’s use of tone in “The Lottery” functions as a way to distract readers from the overall mood of the gathering. The pleasant and easy-going tone, presented throughout the beginning of Jacksons’s work aims to deter readers from questioning the villager’s initial motives.
Irony may appear in difference ways within literature. Irony changes our expectations of what might happen. It can create the unexpected twist at the end of a story or anecdote that gets people laughing or crying. Verbal irony is intended to be a humorous type of irony. Situational irony can be either funny or tragic.
The short story “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson is full of literary elements. The old and innocent, small town atmosphere creates the perfect stage for this ironic tale. Several literary elements are evident throughout the composition but three specific elements stand out the most. Jackson’s unique ability to use tone and style, symbolism, and theme are what makes this story so fascinating. Tone and style are critical literary elements in “The Lottery.”
The purpose of the lottery is to continue the old tradition of sacrificing a scapegoat in order for a harvest. The scapegoat is chosen at random and then stoned to death by his/her companions. Although “The Lottery” reflects an event from the past, Jackson shows that many of the actions of the town resemble the tribulations that ensue in today’s society. To begin with, like the villagers in the story, our society also partakes in valuing tradition.
