The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World Analysis

What I learnt from the source was how the lottery doesn’t just use the standardize irony that is generally recognized by the audience. But in particular, Shirley Jackson uses dramatic irony. We are proposed by dramatic irony from the start of story. Before I had even read the story, I assumed that this would be one of those happy/cheesy stories with that amazing “Disney Pixar” ending where everyone lives happy and a good life. And I was yet to be proven wrong when I began reading the story as Shirley Jackson presented the setting as a beautiful day and everything seemed to be going smoothly. Then before we know it, by the end of the day the audience is presented by this old fashioned, gruesome death of stoning. This source is most accurately going to be used in my essay, by its citation for irony of the “stoning” itself. I quote “though the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones”. Ironically no one in the community understands why they must kill a citizen each year, but in response, know “exactly” how to throw stones and kill

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, a story about the tradition of a small village, is painted in impeccable details of peace, and serenity on a warm summer day, as everyone follows the tradition they have known since a long time ago despite the true intentions and meaning of it forgotten. The Lottery taking place annually is like no other lottery, it paints the true picture of the horror that epitomizes the tradition that none of the villagers dare to question, despite it creating separation between gender and families and ruining

Shirley Jackson uses rhetoric in her fictional short story “The Lottery” to criticize the perpetuation of outdated traditions. She creates a fictional example that includes enthymemes, intrinsic appeals, and extrinsic proofs between characters as well as in the narration to make her thematic argument that mindlessly keeping traditions is foolish. The lottery example is deliberately exaggerated to accentuate her argument and to present an honorable case that her audience will support. In doing this, Jackson establishes a strong kairos and demonstrates her ability to aptly use rhetoric to make an argument through fiction.

Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery”, carries a powerful message about environmental factors, and how these factors shape human behavior. In Jackson’s story, the people live in a rural setting. The beautiful nature surrounds the tiny village where only three hundred people reside. Here, there are no filthy streets. Yet, in such a small, claustrophobic environment, it appears the villagers cannot exist without a yearly tradition. This tradition is essential to this tiny society that maintains its balance by singling out one person to pay the price. In a way, it is easy to see that Jackson wanted to make a point, that this tradition is used to make the village cohesive no matter which group, religion, race, or ethnicity an individual comes from.

Throughout centuries, traditions and rituals have had the ability to control one’s behavior. In Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery”, she tells the reader of a small village. On the surface, this community may seem relatively normal. However, despite the picturesque appeal, this falsely serene village has a distinct deceitful flaw. On June 27th, every year, a lottery takes place. The purpose of the lottery is to continue the old tradition of sacrificing a scapegoat in order for a harvest. The scapegoat is chosen at random and then stoned to death by his/her companions. Although “The Lottery” reflects an event from the past, Jackson shows that many of the actions of the town resemble the tribulations that ensue in today’s society.

Shirley Jackson’s “The lottery” is a story based on tradition. When hearing the word tradition, most people think of team rituals before games, or something families do together annually. However, Jackson is obviously not like most people. She builds up a fair amount of tension around this ritual that is taking place to make readers wonder what is going on. She uses many different techniques to show that sometimes, traditions are not always meant to go on forever. The three techniques she used that were most prominent are symbolism, irony, and diction.

An example of characterization used by Jackson to help communicate the theme is when Mr. Summers is presenting the black box to the villagers. He suggests, “making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box.” His claim of stating an obvious but well thought response shows how Jackson put Mr.Summers as an innocent man trying to convey his idea that the tradition should be gone. Since, the general populace did not want the tradition to change, it would explain the events that further led to a malicious murdering.

In “The Hallowe’en Party” by Miriam Waddington and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, symbols are used to enhance the importance of traditions. It is inevitable to say that “The Hallowe’en Party” is a major symbol itself. The party represents togetherness; a time for friends to get together, leaving cultural clichés aside. Mr. Luria is opposed to his children from going to the party, but even he has to give in because after all, “… [they will] only remember the fun they had at MacNeils” (Waddington, para 34). The excitement described by David goes on to reveal that they indeed had a pleasant time; hence, also evolving Mr. Luria’s views. “The Lottery” is a great example of the antithesis of “The Hallowe’en Party”, since the former symbolizes estrangement whereas the latter embodies unity. The Lottery symbolizes estrangement. It suggests how effortlessly the society can forget a person, no matter how close because of an atrocious tradition. The people of the village have come to acknowledge the custom as something they do to amuse themselves; losing the real meaning of The Lottery. The children in the story have no background information about the tradition, yet insanely, they are the first ones to get “… the pile of stones…ready” (Jackson, p 51). The stones go on to suggest the cruelty of the people of the village as it provides a slow and painful death. “The Lottery” demonstrates how a tradition that drives the society can be completely forgotten through the years. While

Usually there’s a winner in a lottery, but not in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”. This story intrigued me by it's suspenseful nature and it's chaotic events. In small town America, they come together once a year to perform an annual tradition. Mrs. Jackson demonstrates literary devices such as foreshadowing, mood, and conflict in “The Lottery”.

Many people would die to win the lottery; in the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson you would do anything NOT to win this lottery. This annual lottery reveals the negative aspects of this town’s Tradition, Savagery, Barbarism, and cold-heartedness. In this paper I will show why this town blindly follows these customs, not because it’s a tradition but because of the accepting wickedness that can be shown.

As parts of the ritual had lapsed away, with not one official source as to what the original ritual was, it shows that people did not have strong attachments to the whole tradition. The violence that ensued in the lottery remained ironically untainted despite the test of time. In this sense, technically, it is more of a tradition than the speculated rituals were; and it reflects the choices of the villagers of what they wanted to survive as their

There’s always been a lottery…’” (Jackson 4). This quote is from one of the characters, Old Man Warner, who is an old man who continues to repeat the necessity of the lottery. For Warner, the lottery is associated with positive memories, which pushes the spreading of the propaganda that the lottery must exist for the good of the people. This character dismisses any concern that the stoning ritual may not be necessary for good harvest. This continues to push the idea that the ritual is necessary, and anyone who opposes is is looked down upon. The population of this town is so engaged in this lottery that, as it mentions on the first page, the first people there are the children who are gathering stones without finding the whole thing abnormal. Many readers find this a very frightening

Each year, murder is committed and supported by the villagers as part of an uncivilized tradition. The inhabitants of the village watch in suspense as their family members make their way to the stage, unaware that the lottery could pick any one of them. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson uses archetypal symbols to highlight the barbaric nature of society when people follow and outdated tradition. Jackson uses various archetypal patterns to highlight the significance of the symbols. Firstly, the lottery serves as an archaic tradition, and the black box represents a ritual with death as the outcome. In addition, a loss of innocence is evident as the boys collect stones for the lottery and when little Davy Hutchinson is given a stone to throw at his mother.

This essay contends that the convention of the lottery speaks to the discriminatory stratification of the social order along lines of gender and financial position. The story sets put in a residential community in New England. Consistently a lottery is held, in which one individual is to be randomly decided to be stoned to death by the individuals in the town. The lottery has been practiced in excess of seventy years by the townspeople. By utilizing imagery, Jackson uses names, items, and the setting to hide the genuine importance and expectation of the lottery.

The short story “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson is full of literary elements. The old and innocent, small town atmosphere creates the perfect stage for this ironic tale. Several literary elements are evident throughout the composition but three specific elements stand out the most. Jackson’s unique ability to use tone and style, symbolism, and theme are what makes this story so fascinating.