Short Story Analysis Amila Hoang
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" is a short story illustrating that it is difficult for
people even countries and governments to change policies. It shows that even the
most Dangerous rituals/traditions/policy's are still being abided by, because people
have been doing this for years, which make people think that its an "OK" thing to do.
Jackson creates these effects through her use of imagery, and Foil/irony.
Jackson uses such vivid imagery throughout this story. Jackson develops
imagery through her setting by taking such powerful words to show the surroundings
of where the story is taken place. She takes her setting and transforms it into
something that will cause a large effect throughout the story, which helps her
construct such a vigorous theme. The very first sentence is short yet simple, but
generates such a clear image that is painted into our minds. The first sentence to the
story gives so much detail : "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny with fresh
warmth of a full summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass
was richly green." Her word choice in this sentence helps builds pictures to form in our
minds to give us a better idea of what is happening through the story. It paints a
bright cheery day. But later on in the story, its a total twist, which you wouldn't expect
just reading the first section of the story.
The author uses her introduction to her advantage. She takes her introduction
to make an illusion and play with our minds to make us think of this tradition as
something that is cheerful and happy, when truly it is such a dreadful tradition that
happens yearly. She tricks us into thinking of a bright and cheery atmosphere,
because of her opening sentence. Her opening sentence produces such a cheerful
sensation, "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny with fresh warmth of a full
summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green."
and the story simply ends with "it isn't fair, It isn't right," This shows how much the story
dramatically changes from the introduction to the conclusion of the story.
But why would such a tradition continue on like this? Jackson is showing
within her use of imagery that since this Tradition has been done for many years she
shows that it seems so harmless. But just because something has been done several
times before it doesn't mean that you should continue something if it is something
that is not right. These people in the story have continued a tradition that's been
continued yearly, and people of the village have slowly lost the meaning of it but yet
this tradition is still continued in their village. "Although the villagers have forgotten
the ritual and lost the original black box, They still remember to use the stones...There
were stones on the ground with blowing scraps of paper that had come out of the
box." You can see the coal the paper flying through which really helps to define the
theme by using imagery.
This Tradition Jackson talks about in her story is called the lottery, this
traditions includes a black box in which Jackson had described very well. This is an
example of how much detail she put into describing the box: "The black box grew
shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly
along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or
stained," She described this box very deeply which makes us than picture what this
"black box" looked like. As you read that sentence you slowly then start to create an
image of what you are reading. Which Jackson did by describing it so that we are
capable of seeing the object that she is writing about(show not tell).
Jackson as well takes atmosphere to help build imagery. She uses
atmosphere to show an emotional coloring in the story. She shows this coloring by
introducing the story as if something joyful. But later in the story, it takes a huge turn
changing the whole atmosphere of the story. The atmosphere changes when
people are all gathered and ready to pick papers out of the black box. It feels
mysterious and a little frightening, when I read this section I could feel the chills, as if
something wasn't right; "..a tall boy in the crowd raised his hand "Here" he said, "I'm
drawing for my mother and me" he blinked his eyes nervously and ducked his head.."
Through this guys action you can tell that he is scared of something, and the Author
was clear that something was wrong which was a good plot twist that changed the
atmosphere of the story. Also when Mrs. Hutchinson came running in late, everyone
in the crowds were quite silent, which created a spooky like feeling. "... Forgot what
day it was." "Thought my old man was out back stacking wood" " and then I
remember it was the 27th.." Mrs Hutchinson being late and forgetting such a frightful
event was just a coincident, because her family was the one we had picked the
marked paper, and Tessie Hutchinson was the one in the center later that day. The
way she wrote the story didn't show much of peoples in the heads thoughts it was
mainly narrated throughout the while story.
An Irony was produced throughout the story and in fact its also one of the first
things you see about this story, its title. The title that Shirley chose for her short story is
"The lottery" this title causes us to think "Oh someone's going to win a prize in the end
and it will end happily" But the irony is that "The Lottery" does not have the same
meaning in this story as the usual term, In fact its a total opposite if you pick the
special paper you lose, you do not win. You might think that you're winning but in
fact you are really losing. That is the irony turn of the story that helps construct the
theme, that it is difficult for people even countries and governments to change
policies. By using the title to create irony, in which that title is a big part of forming the
irony in the story.
This story shows how she used such a tradition which is totally unrelated to is
name. The irony starts with the title, but slowly gets to the main point of the story and
the main event which will take most people by surprise, because Jackson did such a
good job building up the story to this moment. "Tessie Hutchinson in the center of a
clear space by now, and she held her hand out desperately as the villagers moved
in on her." The irony builds up to the theme which truly helps make the theme much
more bold and effective. To show the reader the true meaning of the story. The way
the story builds up really gives a meaningful effect to the message of the story.
In relation to this story there are many laws that aren't the best for Canada,
but yet we still proceed to follow them. For example the notwithstanding clause, this
rule allows any province to violate any law in the charter of rights. Which has only
been used once, by the province Quebec. They claimed they used this to "protect
their French culture." I believe that this isn't a very smart law that because it lets any
province opt-out of any law from the charter of rights. Yet this notwithstanding
clause has been around for many years been has still not been voided. Similar to the
ritual in The Lottery. The ritual also has been around for many years and has not been
voided in their village yet, but other villages have already got rid of it.
This story teaches us that there are many laws and polices that should be
changed but yet still haven't been changed because it has been abided by for
many years.
Jackson did a very good job at directing the message to us through her use
of imagery and the irony in the story. It shows that we have policies or regulations
that are ridiculous but still followed because its continued from the past, It takes a lot
of work for a policy or regulation to be changed but someone has to step up to
change it.