Essay on Theme of the Unexpected in The Lottery - 1819 Words

Expect the Unexpected What thoughts come to mind when you think of The Lottery? Positive thoughts including money, a new home, excitement, and happiness are all associated with the lottery in most cases. However, this is not the case in Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery. Here, the characters in the story are not gambling for money, instead they are gambling for their life. A shock that surprises the reader as she unveils this horrifying tradition in the village on this beautiful summer day. This gamble for their life is a result of tradition, a tradition that is cruel and inhumane, yet upheld in this town. Shirley Jackson provides the reader’s with a graphic description of violence, cruelty, and inhumane treatment which†¦show more content†¦(2005). The short story is a reflection of her despise of cruel and unjust treatment of human beings as she tells the story of a town’s tradition of sacrificing a human in return for a good harvest. (Reagan 1997) Jackson beg ins the story with a description of a small village that held a Lottery in the early part of summer each year. Jackson provides a peaceful description of the village, â€Å"†¦ clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green (Jackson 251). The setting she creates symbolizes a happy, pleasant day, leading the reader to believe something positive would occur on this 27th day of June. Jackson further describes children playing happily, women conversing, and men speaking of â€Å"planting and rain, tractors and taxes†(Jackson 252). They speak of farming because the traditional ritual in the story is conducted based on a belief that the ritual has an effect on the crop, â€Å"Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon† is a popular saying in town (Jackson 256). As the reader continues, the prospect of a pleasant day is further symbolized as Jackson describes the people gathering in the square between the post office and the bank before the lottery starts. She describes the gathering of the women prior to the drawing: â€Å"They greet one another and exchanged bits of gossip†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Jackson 252). This further leads the reader to believe they areShow MoreRelatedThe Unexpected Surprise of Violence1009 Words   |  5 Pageswe allow the unexpected to happen† (Coelho). Life becomes valued once risks are taken, but the outcome is never expected. Shirley Jackson, reader of witchcraft books, horrifies people with her perspective on the understanding of merciless rituals that kept communities at ease. Shirley Jackson develops her theme of unexpected violence in 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 takesRead MoreAmerican Gothic Compare and Contrast Essay 930 Words   |  4 Pageshappened and it doesn’t sugar coat anything. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† Emily becomes a sad and depressed person who will do something completely unexpected. In â€Å"The Lottery† the townspeople have a twisted tradition that takes place once a year. These two stories have a lot of comparison and contrast dealing with theme, foreshadowing and imagery. Both â€Å" The Lottery† and â€Å" A Rose for Emily† are American Gothic, they focus more on the dark side of life. For example â€Å" Then we noticed that in the second pillowRead MoreAnalysis Of Shirley Jacksons The Lottery954 Words   |  4 Pagesthat enhance the overall transmission of the authors message. 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