The short story, “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson, is a twisted tale of a small farming community that is far from normal or peaceful. Jackson, continuously uses the setting to creates a mood of peacefulness and tranquility. This creates an image of a typical small farming community on a normal summer day. This setting foreshadows an ironic ending that is far from normal or peaceful. “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson, displays numerous examples of irony throughout the setting in telling the tale of a small town’s strange and brutal annual ritual.

Shirley Jackson, begins her story by establishing the setting. She tells what time of day and what time of year the story takes place. It is important to focus on what a typical day is in this small town. The time of day is set in the morning and the time of year is early summer. School has just recently let out for summer break, and children are getting used to the newly found freedom and the prospect of all of the adventures to be had. Jackson describes the town as that of any normal rural community. She describes the grass as "richly green" and that "the flowers were blooming profusely" (247). These descriptions of the surr

oundings give a picture of beauty and life in bloom. There is a serene feeling about the sleepy little town. This makes the audience feel comfortable about the

The names of the residents themselves foreshadow the irony that is to occur. The lottery is conducted by Mr. Summers, and the summer season brings to mind life and

surroundings as if there was nothing wrong in this quaint town.

communities and well grounded religion The lack of a church in the scene gives a hint to a less than moral community despite the serene setting. The mention of the town’s celebration of Halloween but not for Christmas or Easter further illustrates this point. All of these points should lead audience to consider that something out of the ordinary is going on in this community.

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