The lottery is a short story written by Shirley Jackson, published in 1948. It is a harrowing tale that portrays the dangers of blindly following tradition, even when that tradition is harmful. Throughout the story, Jackson uses various literary devices to convey the theme of the dangers of tradition and the impact it can have on society.
One literary device that Jackson uses in the story is symbolism. The lottery itself is a symbol for the dangers of tradition and the consequences of blindly following it. The lottery is a ritual that the town performs every year, but no one knows why they do it or what the purpose is. Despite this, the townspeople continue to participate in the lottery, even though it ultimately leads to the death of one of their own. This symbolizes how traditions can be harmful when they are not examined or questioned, and how people can blindly follow them without considering the consequences.
Another literary device that Jackson uses in the story is irony. The story is set on a beautiful summer day, with the townspeople gathering together to participate in the lottery. This creates a sense of irony, as the beautiful setting contrasts with the violent and barbaric nature of the tradition. Additionally, the characters in the story seem to be ordinary, everyday people, but their participation in the lottery reveals a darker side to their nature. This adds to the sense of irony, as the reader is confronted with the idea that seemingly ordinary people can be capable of such cruelty.
Jackson also uses foreshadowing in the story to build suspense and tension. From the very beginning of the story, there is a sense of unease and foreboding, as the town prepares for the annual lottery. This foreshadows the violent and disturbing nature of the tradition, as well as the tragic consequences that will ultimately befall one of the townspeople. The use of foreshadowing adds to the sense of dread and tension that builds throughout the story, as the reader waits to see what will happen next.
In conclusion, Shirley Jackson uses various literary devices in the lottery to convey the theme of the dangers of blindly following tradition. Through the use of symbolism, irony, and foreshadowing, Jackson effectively portrays the consequences of not questioning tradition and the impact it can have on society. The story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding readers to critically examine the traditions they follow and the impact they can have on others.
Literary Devices Used In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson
This is a fictional story but the context of the story is linked to real life situation. The story states that the box is falling apart, yet the villagers are unwilling to replace it. This story helps us to better understand how we are taking advantage of our present life, rather than respecting our past , this showed us how… Hester Prynne's Transformation In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne What the Puritans did not see coming was that, like Justine Sacco, Hester would not let this shame ruin her life. Jackson shows through the setting of the story, a small, close knit town, that even though a population can ignore evil, it is still prevalent in society for example: the Harlem Riots; the terrorist attacks on September 11; the beating of Rodney King. There are several characters the reader encounters that play significant roles in the story, such as Mrs. Simple towns people who speak to each other on a daily basis and joke around with each other all of the sudden turn around and kill one of their one. In retrospect, the children gathering up stones should seem disturbing, but Jackson's inclusion of the girls standing "aside, talking over their shoulders at the boys, and the very small children" who "rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brother and sisters" provide an innocence to this scene.
What are some literary devices in "The Lottery"?
This story takes place in a small village where everybody knows each other. Summers cannot gather support to have a new one made because the members of the town were afraid to tamper with tradition. Not specifically …show more content… You win a lottery in a colonial city, modern day suburbia, or urban location; you think of someone who will get all the materialistic desires they have ever wanted through their entire lifespan, this Also pay attention to the tone of the story, there is a similarity between generic realism and a sickening nightmarish type of symbolism, the village at first seems like a normal old time village with normal people living and breathing in its walls, institutions and streets. I thought someone would win money. The story focuses around a village during a ceremony they call the lottery which ensures there is enough rain for their crops.
The Lottery Study Guide
This setting would feature in her first novel, The Road Through the Wall, which was published when Jackson was 32 years old. Is the lottery didactic? Delacroix on the arm as a farewell. To them, it's a perfectly normal, age-old tradition that they've been practicing for generations. A third literary device in the story, is the tone by showing detachment and calms of the tone through out the story from the beginning describing the sunny day, to witnessing the execution of one of the villagers at the end. Tessie instead of being excited for winning the lottery is extremely against winning which confirms that the lottery is nothing to be excited about.
Literary Elements Used In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson
Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson 926 Words 4 Pages The Lottery The short story, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson proposes an annual lottery drawing in a little village set in New England. Then they proceeded to the final lottery, which was the one based on who will die. Shirley Jackson creates a story filled with lots and lots of foreshadows and symbolisms, these helps building up the tension within the reader mind to question the conclusion of the story. The main focal theme of The Lottery is the danger of blindly following tradition, the author used this theme as a mirror to reflect on the society. With various symbols, Shirley Jackson created the short story, The Lottery, to show society and what it has been and what it could be. It is didactic, not entertaining. This setting makes for surprising situational irony as it seems a most unlikely backdrop for the events that follow.
