Dangerous Behavior And Narrow-Mindedness

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”

Are people from past and present generations living a life of superstition? Some learn that going along with superstitions can cause you hardship in the long run. In Shirley Jackson’s 1948 short story, "The Lottery", the text shows that superstition and narrow-mindedness can lead to dangerous behavior of those who aren’t superstitious. In the story a dreadful ritual where the stoning death of a random citizen is a sacrifice for a fruitful harvest. Irony and foreshadowing litter this short story with signs of how the ending will eventually unfold. It seems the people in the small town consider that a large sum of money is won through sheer luck. Small signs that point toward the somber ending may not be clear to even the sharpest reader until the ending is actually read. Literary devices are strongly used to show evidence of manipulation through the setting and clever signs of foreshadowing, which are based upon supporting superstitious acts and the set up of the main character Mrs. Hutchinson with series of dramatically ironic events.

The setting of this story seems very plain, dull, and somber. As you read the story, it seems as if ev

The setting also shows how the outcome of dangerous behavior due to superstition can have others act as if the ending result is a normal and undreadful ritual. Mrs. Hutchinson fellow citizens and her family know what is about to occur, but she doesn't, which makes matters even worse. Fortunately, she does uniquely lend herself to some careful observation, but not enough to be sure of the dreadful outcome against her. Much can be said of the dramatic irony that leads up to her stoning and death. Her entrance raises eyebrows throughout the crowd and seems to loosen everyone up with some laughter. It's as if there is a spotlight hovering over her the entire story and she doesn't even know it. Unfortunately, when superstitious acts take place the one against it is usually the one that has evil presented before them unknowingly. It was very ironic that her entire family went to this large event and she managed to almost forget about it and stay home unnoticed by her family. It seems logical that for such an important event, her family would have definitely made sure that she was present. It's quite ironic. All of the characters in the story seem to be laughing at times towards her during a pretty somber event. For example, after Mr. Hutchinson name is called, she says, "Get up there, Bill," (Jackson 271) and the people near her laughed, clearly knowing what the result of this event would be. Towards the end of the story it becomes glaringly obvious, when it comes down to the Hutchinson family only. When she continues to complain about the way the drawing was done for just family names her husband pipes in with, "Shut up, Tessie" (Jackson 272). It seems dramatically ironic because looking back through the story, it appears that Bill Hutchinson isn't really worried . He's just patiently waiting to

Some topics in this essay:
Shirley Jackson’s, Bill Hutchinson, Unfortunately Hutchinson, Bill Jackson, Tessie Jackson, dangerous behavior, dangerous behavior narrow-mindedness, superstitious acts, behavior narrow-mindedness, short story, lottery text, dramatically ironic, stoning death, plain dull, money won, lottery text superstition, text superstition,