The Lottery Short Story Analysis - 1122 Words

â€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"The Lottery,† uses quite ordinary language and details about the people, the lottery, and the setting to create a â€Å"normal† tone that initially disguises her theme that mankind behaves primitively. One of Jacksons big developments is that the†¦show more content†¦Jackson uses gossip as a bonding tool to show how close the people are to create a further surprise irony to the brutality. The activities that take place in the recreation center are parallel to those of a quaint small town. The brutality and barbaric nature of the lottery â€Å"were conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.† The majority of people have attended dances in rec centers and brutal murders were not conducted there they were wholesome events meant to bond the community which is the vibe that Jackson intended. Jackson intended was a small community where people are close and comfortable with each other. The activities stated earlier are done by local rec centers close to an average persons home probably done in rec centers near the readers home, which adds an extra layer to the earlier stated conventional nature of the normal civic activities to unusual brutal murder. Jackson uses the everyday normalcy of the people in the lottery to paradox the further brutality. The actual raffle of the lottery is portrayed as a type of annual tradition which makes it seem more natural. The townspeople conduct their business with a black box which has a sentimental value to all of the people so it has remained relatively unchanged through the years. Old and ratty the box remained with wood chips poking out as a safety hazard, but the people keep it as stated inShow MoreRelatedThe 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 MoreThe Lottery Short Story Analysis1214 Words   |  5 PagesThe 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 maintainingRead 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