Freytag's Arc In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

The short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is well-organized and it does follow the Freytag’s Arc. The author begins the story by explaining the setting, characters and background info which exposed the readers to important information. The story is set in a small town with population of three hundred people. The time of the day is in the morning and the time of the year is early summer. The author states that everyone is coming together for what seems enjoyable, festive and celebratory occasion. This follows Freytag’s Arc because the first method in the arc is the exposition which will help the readers to get a better insight of what will going on. As the story continues, the author introduces the readers the rising action. She clarifies
The falling action is when the Hutchinsons get the lottery. Tessie Hutchinson, the wife, shouting and saying that the lottery is not fair as her husband does not get enough time to choose the paper he wants. As the lottery is the tradition and the townspeople are not able to change it, the result remain the same which is stoning of Tessie Hutchinson. The resolution is when no one could stop the townspeople from stoning Mrs. Hutchinson to death and they are not feeling any guilty for murdering someone because it is not considered as murderous but this is just what they often do. The rising and falling action are connected because the author introduces the lottery to be a tradition and as the falling action, there is nothing can be done because the townspeople are not brave enough to defy the brutally violent tradition. The crisis, falling action and resolution are all related when the winner of the lottery, who is dared to challenge it being stoned to death by the townspeople. The setting helps to build mood and lead the readers to think that there will be a happy ending but it foreshadows exactly the opposite of what the readers