Forshadowing in the Lottery

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 beginning of the lottery begins by Mr. Summers carrying a black box. Black is usually a symbol of death or unpleasantness. When the box is placed on the stool in the middle of the square the villagers automatically place space between them and the box. The box makes them uncomfortable and they try to separate themselves from it. When Mr. Summers asks for help with the box there is a hesitation from the villagers, which shows their reluctance to touch what to them symbolizes unpleasantness. It is also brought up that when the box isn't in use it spends time in a barn or underfoot at the post office. If the box represented something that everyone looked forward too the box would be proudly displayed instead of hidden and out of sight. .
             Up until this point there hasn't been much dialog until Mrs. Hutchinson showed up. At this point the reader is slightly uneasy and the fact that there is a change in dialog points to something important. The reader begins to think that Mrs. Hutchinson might play a role in what is to come. .
             Mr. Summers begins the proceedings "somberly". His somber mood shows that this is not something fun or exciting, but instead disagreeable or distasteful.