The Lottery Short Story Analysis - 1214 Words

The short story â€Å"The Lottery† written by Shirley Jackson begins with villagers gathering in the square, between the post office and the bank, to participate in the lottery which is not what it seems like because the story’s surprising ending reveals that Tessie Hutchinson, who draws the slip of paper with the black spot on it is stoned to death when the lottery ends. Shirley Jackson reveals through the use of irony, foreshadow, and symbolism in the story how much people can get caught up in maintaining a tradition that they wouldn’t question their wrongful actions, such as the murder of an innocent human being. Jackson uses the irony of the title and the beginning paragraph to create a shocking ending. The title â€Å"The Lottery† makes the†¦show more content†¦This starts to foreshadow the end where the villagers start hitting Tessie with the stones with an intent to kill her. Although the end is foreshadowed in the story Jackson does not reveal the true motive of the lottery until the last paragraph when a stone hits Tessie and the reader realizes that whoever wins the lottery is the person that gets stoned to death by the other villagers. Jackson also uses symbolism to show the reader how blindly following old traditions can lead to the murder of an innocent person. One symbol that she uses in the story is the tradition of the lottery that has been practiced in the village for years. Jackson states in the story that â€Å"The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program† (The Lottery). This indicates that the lottery was a normal thing for the villagers even though they were aware that someone was going to get killed at the end of the lottery. The villagers treated the lottery as any other normal tradition. The lottery represents a tradition that has been going on for generations and no one questions it even if it seems cruel and illogical. One of the characters named Old Man Warner is so much committed to the tradition that he believes that if they stop holding the lottery people will return to the olden days. In the story when Mr. Adams says that they are talking abou t giving up the lottery in the north village, Old Man Warner responds by saying â€Å"Listening toShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery Short Story Analysis1122 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery†, a short story by Shirley Jackson reflects humans deepest nature on tradition. Jackson uses routines as a way of illustrating the festival like qualities of the annual lottery. The setting of vibrant colors in the short story conveys a peaceful tone.The characters are portrayed as loving and caring. The ideas of a festival like a lottery, a homey setting and, the peoples actions all help develop the bigger idea. The people and tradition Shirley Jackson in her short story the â€Å"TheRead MoreThe Lottery Short Story Analysis962 Words   |  4 PagesDestructive Traditions Within The Lottery Shirley Jacksons The Lottery, raises many questions in the back of a readers mind towards the destructive yet blind rituals of mankind. The Lottery clearly expresses Jacksons feelings concerning mankinds evil nature hiding behind traditions and rituals. As her theme, she shows how coldness and lack of compassion in people can exhibit in situations regarding tradition and values. Jackson presents the theme of the short story with the use of symbols andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Unknown Citizen And The Short Story The Lottery 1230 Words   |  5 PagesThe Unexpected Truth The Poem Unknown Citizen and the short story The Lottery give examples how people can rebel and conform in different ways. The way these stories were written evokes a lot of emotions, from anger to confusion. In life there are two people in the world, ones who conform to every whim and those who will rebel to create a difference in their society or others. The Unknown Citizen, by W. H. Auden, is about a man who obeys the law and does what needs to done by a normal citizen.Read MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson974 Words   |  4 Pagesnature. b. Background In the short story â€Å"The Lottery,† the inhabitants of a village participate in a lottery, which is essentially a tradition for them. However, the villagers are oblivious to the true consequences and destructiveness of their death ritual. One June day each year, the lottery is conducted and the â€Å"winner† is violently stoned to death. The very same day, the villagers return home and carry on with their normal day-to-day functions. c. Thesis In â€Å"The Lottery,† Shirley Jackson manipulatesRead More Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 PagesJackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraft or not, but it ended up helping her write her stories http://www.literarytraveler.com/literary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws people for a loop is â€Å"The Lottery†. This was Jackson’s first short story and many peopleRead MoreUse of Symbols in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson981 Words   |  4 PagesMany great authors use symbolism numerous of time in their stories. A symbol is a noun or word that represents a different idea. An author displays the symbols as a hit rather than blurting it out. Symbols are not only used in novels or poems, they are als o used in everyday use. For an example, the American flag has fifty stars on it which each star represents a state. On the other hand, the thirteen stripes plays the part of our thirteen colonies; the beginning of our country. Even with our highRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson And A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner960 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner The use of symbolism is used in literature to enhance writing and add meaning to a story, this is evident in the two short stories â€Å"The Lottery† written by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner. With the authors use of symbolism Jackson and Faulkner are able to add depth to their writing in a way that connects with the readers. By adding symbolism to the short stories the authors manageRead MoreThe Unexpected Surprise of Violence1009 Words   |  5 Pagesin her short story â€Å"The Lottery† through the use of irony, symbolism, and denouement. On a summer day in a small town in the short story, â€Å"The Lottery†, Jackson takes advantage of the peaceful environment and adds a convoluted twist through a misleading title and Old Man Warner and his traditions. The title, â€Å"The Lottery†, is viewed as a fortunate phenomenon at first, but once the reader apprehends the story line their viewpoint will never be the same. In the sentence of the short story, TessieRead MoreSymbolism in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay example1173 Words   |  5 PagesWhen most people play the lottery today, they think about having wealth. Generally, people who win are happy about it whether they win one dollar or a million. The lottery in our society has grown to support education and it is often worth several million dollars. Usually, the winner of the lottery gains a lot of recognition for the money they win. But what would happen if there was a small town where people held a yearly lottery in which the â€Å"winnerâ₠¬  was the member of the town who was not sacrificedRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Lottery By Shirley Jackson910 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis of the Short Story â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson explores the subject of tradition in her short story â€Å"The Lottery†. A short story is normally evaluated based on its ability to provide a satisfying and complete presentation of its characters and themes. Shirley describes a small village that engages in an annual tradition known as â€Å"the lottery†. Narrating the story from a third person point of view, Shirley uses symbolism, foreshadowing and suspense to illustrate