In The Lottery Shirley Jackson uses subtle foreshadowing to hint at the shocking ending without giving the reader a clear idea of what is going to occur. Throughout the story the reader is made to feel increasingly uncomfortable by bring the events to a head.
At the beginning of the story a pretty picture is painted of a nice summer day. The reader is first aware of the Lottery by saying that other towns have to start a day early due to larger populations. However, in this town she writes that the lottery takes only two hours and that the town’s people can be home by lunch. This is the first clue that something about the lottery is amiss. If the lottery were something that the villagers looked forward to being home or the time wouldn’t be an issue. Shirley Jackson then takes about the children. She says that school has let out but instead of the excitement of the summer “the feeling of liberty sat uneasily with most of them”. This shows that some of the children understand that they are not truly free until some event occurs. It’s very subtle because she does not come out and say why the children are uneasy and not free to romp casually. The boys are also gathering stones. A great emphasis is put on this des
The adults and how they behave when they gather is the next step. She states that the men gather away from the stones. In a usual description this would not need to be brought up. Since she specifically states this we suspect that the stones hold a bigger function than just boys playing around. Instead of the men being casual and cheerful as they might be at a town gathering she says that “their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed.” This makes the distinction that the men might be putting up a front rather than being completely comfortable with the situation. When the women gather next to their husbands they have a hard time calling their children. The children are extremely reluctant to join the gathering with their families. The author states that the women sometimes had to call to their children four or five times. In a normal setting a child might be reluctant to join their family, but calling four or five times is an extreme. This shows that the children might be uncomfortable and unexcited about the upcoming event.
The foreshadowing throughout the entire story brings the reader to the point of uneasiness and adds to the shock of the stoning at the end.
Mr. Summers begins the proceedings “somberly”. His somber mood shows that this is not something fun or exciting, but instead disagreeable or distasteful. When Mr. Dunbar is not present due to a broken leg his wife has to draw in his place and is reluctant stating “I guess” instead of volunteering readily. Mr. Summers then asks if she has anyon
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