The Lottery Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Hoping to Draw a Blank
In modern times, the lottery is generally acknowledged as a set of fantastic prizes that people vie to win; however, in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the exact opposite is true. Jackson transforms this rather innocuous-sounding practice to a dark, perverse town ritual in a shocking twist that leaves the reader hungry for more details. Jackson conveys her message that tradition is not always best with her omission of details, use of foreshadowing and abrupt ending.
Jackson begins her story in a very simple manner: describing the scenery of the town in which “The Lottery” takes place. Jackson portrays the cheerful atmosphere with phrases like “the flowers...blooming profusely...” and “the grass...richly green,” …show more content…
however, as the story continues, Jackson is less forthcoming with her details (Jackson 122).
Throughout her narrative, Jackson drops tantalizing hints about the lottery, but the reader never truly discovers the purpose until shortly before the conclusion. Jackson leads the reader on by insinuating that winning the lottery is not necessarily positive to a person. Jackson demonstrates the townspeople’s reluctance, such as Jack Watson, who, when called to draw out of the black box, “came awkwardly through the crowd...” (Jackson 127). His fellow townspeople ply him with words of encouragement like, “‘Don’t be nervous, Jack...’” and “‘Take your time, boy...” (Jackson 127). If winning the lottery benefitted the winner, the Watson boy would have been more enthusiastic about drawing his card. Mrs. Hutchinson’s dismay when she discovers her husband has drawn the marked card also lends to the suspicion that winning the lottery has a ruinous affect on the winner. When Mr. Summers announces that “Bill Hutchinson’s got [the marked paper],” Tessie Hutchinson goes on a …show more content…
rant about how “it wasn’t fair” because Mr. Summers “didn’t give [Mr. Hutchinson] enough time to take any paper he wanted...” (Jackson 127). Mrs. Hutchinson’s blatant alarm regarding the lottery drawing leads the reader to believe that the lottery is not beneficial to the “winner,” however, Jackson still does not reveal the true result of the lottery’s winner. Jackson portrays this annual ritual in such an unflattering light as to convey her message that traditions are not always good for keeping.
Within her story, “The Lottery,” Jackson uses blatant foreshadowing to give the reader hints as to what the true result of the lottery is.
Jackson begins with fairly subtle nudges, describing a group of schoolboys gathering stones in their pockets, “...selecting the smoothest and roundest stones...” and three of the boys making “a great pile of stones in one corner of the square...” (Jackson 122-123). The meaning behind the stones is unclear at first, but the gathering of the stones obviously has importance to the lottery. Later, Jackson reveals that the stones are used to sacrifice the winner of the lottery. Also, when Tessie Hutchinson arrives late for the ceremony, she is singled out from the rest of the crowd. Furthermore, Mr. Summers comments on how he “‘though we were going to have to get on without [her];” this comment gives a sinister prediction on life in the village after the lottery and Tessie’s death. Jackson uses foreshadowing to create a suspenseful feeling for the reader. At the eventual revelation of the lottery’s result, the suspense culminates into an horrifying climax that emphatically conveys the message that some traditions are not worthy of being
repeated.
Shirley Jackson’s disturbing narrative comes to a head when she reveals that the winner of the lottery is to be stoned to death, however, Jackson’s conclusion is decidedly compact and abrupt. The plot rapidly transitions from the final drawing to Tessie Hutchinson’s death. Jackson’s final phrase “...and then [the villagers] were upon her...” translates the absolute conformity of the village people (Jackson 129). Once a villager draws his or her “winning” slip, the lottery abolishes all bonds to that person. Tessie Hutchinson’s own family turns against her at the drop of a hat; the villagers even give “little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles...” (Jackson 129). The ritual requires Mrs. Hutchinson’s own son, a boy so young that he needs help to draw a slip of paper out of a box, to aid in stoning his mother to death. The terrifyingly matter-of-fact manner that the villagers use in regards to Tessie’s death demonstrates Jackson’s point that traditions are not always worth keeping.
From start to finish, “The Lottery,” is a true mystery; the reader never quite completely knows what is going on. Jackson magnificently portrays her disgust of group conformity and antiquated traditions through omission of details, use of foreshadowing, and abrupt ending. “The Lottery” causes the reader to question the validity of modern traditions and if we are the townspeople.
In modern times, the lottery is generally acknowledged as a set of fantastic prizes that people vie to win; however, in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” the exact opposite is true. Jackson transforms this rather innocuous-sounding practice to a dark, perverse town ritual in a shocking twist that leaves the reader hungry for more details. Jackson conveys her message that tradition is not always best with her omission of details, use of foreshadowing and abrupt ending.
Jackson begins her story in a very simple manner: describing the scenery of the town in which “The Lottery” takes place. Jackson portrays the cheerful atmosphere with phrases like “the flowers...blooming profusely...” and “the grass...richly green,” …show more content…
however, as the story continues, Jackson is less forthcoming with her details (Jackson 122).
Throughout her narrative, Jackson drops tantalizing hints about the lottery, but the reader never truly discovers the purpose until shortly before the conclusion. Jackson leads the reader on by insinuating that winning the lottery is not necessarily positive to a person. Jackson demonstrates the townspeople’s reluctance, such as Jack Watson, who, when called to draw out of the black box, “came awkwardly through the crowd...” (Jackson 127). His fellow townspeople ply him with words of encouragement like, “‘Don’t be nervous, Jack...’” and “‘Take your time, boy...” (Jackson 127). If winning the lottery benefitted the winner, the Watson boy would have been more enthusiastic about drawing his card. Mrs. Hutchinson’s dismay when she discovers her husband has drawn the marked card also lends to the suspicion that winning the lottery has a ruinous affect on the winner. When Mr. Summers announces that “Bill Hutchinson’s got [the marked paper],” Tessie Hutchinson goes on a …show more content…
rant about how “it wasn’t fair” because Mr. Summers “didn’t give [Mr. Hutchinson] enough time to take any paper he wanted...” (Jackson 127). Mrs. Hutchinson’s blatant alarm regarding the lottery drawing leads the reader to believe that the lottery is not beneficial to the “winner,” however, Jackson still does not reveal the true result of the lottery’s winner. Jackson portrays this annual ritual in such an unflattering light as to convey her message that traditions are not always good for keeping.
Within her story, “The Lottery,” Jackson uses blatant foreshadowing to give the reader hints as to what the true result of the lottery is.
Jackson begins with fairly subtle nudges, describing a group of schoolboys gathering stones in their pockets, “...selecting the smoothest and roundest stones...” and three of the boys making “a great pile of stones in one corner of the square...” (Jackson 122-123). The meaning behind the stones is unclear at first, but the gathering of the stones obviously has importance to the lottery. Later, Jackson reveals that the stones are used to sacrifice the winner of the lottery. Also, when Tessie Hutchinson arrives late for the ceremony, she is singled out from the rest of the crowd. Furthermore, Mr. Summers comments on how he “‘though we were going to have to get on without [her];” this comment gives a sinister prediction on life in the village after the lottery and Tessie’s death. Jackson uses foreshadowing to create a suspenseful feeling for the reader. At the eventual revelation of the lottery’s result, the suspense culminates into an horrifying climax that emphatically conveys the message that some traditions are not worthy of being
repeated.
Shirley Jackson’s disturbing narrative comes to a head when she reveals that the winner of the lottery is to be stoned to death, however, Jackson’s conclusion is decidedly compact and abrupt. The plot rapidly transitions from the final drawing to Tessie Hutchinson’s death. Jackson’s final phrase “...and then [the villagers] were upon her...” translates the absolute conformity of the village people (Jackson 129). Once a villager draws his or her “winning” slip, the lottery abolishes all bonds to that person. Tessie Hutchinson’s own family turns against her at the drop of a hat; the villagers even give “little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles...” (Jackson 129). The ritual requires Mrs. Hutchinson’s own son, a boy so young that he needs help to draw a slip of paper out of a box, to aid in stoning his mother to death. The terrifyingly matter-of-fact manner that the villagers use in regards to Tessie’s death demonstrates Jackson’s point that traditions are not always worth keeping.
From start to finish, “The Lottery,” is a true mystery; the reader never quite completely knows what is going on. Jackson magnificently portrays her disgust of group conformity and antiquated traditions through omission of details, use of foreshadowing, and abrupt ending. “The Lottery” causes the reader to question the validity of modern traditions and if we are the townspeople.