In the short story, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the conclusion seems to come as a surprise. This is because when people think of a lottery, they imagine winning a large amount of money. Shirley Jackson approaches the readers by a peaceful setting to a shock ending, where the winner’s prize of the “lottery” is death by stoning. Although, in retrospect, there is some hints earlier in the story such as “stone” and people’s feeling that tells a little bit about the outcome of the story.
First of all, the cheerful setting that Shirley Jackson establishes in “The Lottery” indeed leads the reader to an incredibly surprise ending. At the opening of the story, everything seems to be peaceful, non-violent and normal as the author describes through. In a tranquil, calm and happy little village, there is an annual lottery. This lottery occurs “around ten o’clock”(255) on June twenty-seventh, which is a time of day that is very
bright and joyous. This is also a time of year that is warm and makes people feel joyful. The town’s physical setting also contributes to the overall normal feeling of the readers. For instance, Jackson describes the grass as “richly green”(255), and the flowers are “ blossoming profusely”(255). These imageries just award the readers a feeling of a healthy and well-surrounded town where a great event of happiness will take place. Moreover, the townspeople create a comfortable setting for the story. The readers are told that the school has let out for the summer, and yet the “feeling of liberty sits uneasily”(255) with the children. These children are doing what all normal kids do at that time: they are playing boisterously and gathering rocks. The women are exchanging bits of gossip. The men are chatting about boring day-to-day tasks like planting and rain, tractors and taxes. All these descriptions lead the readers to an increasingly
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