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Summary Of Foreshadowing In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

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The desensitized society utilizes foreshadowing to reveal the hidden corruption of the town through people’s actions, mood, and conversations. The young children are so prepared for the outcome of the lottery. When everyone arrives to the town center, “Bobby Martin [stuffs] his pockets full of stones and the other boys [start to follow] his example.” The action of the boys stacking up on stones implicate that later in the story the purpose of the stones. The rocks seem to be a game for the children. Turns out to be the actual weapon to Mrs.Hutchinson’s despise. Moreover, the participants have been conducting themselves in an eerie way. As the men began to make an appearance, “they [were standing together] away from the pile of stones [and made quiet] jokes and [were smiling instead of laughing].” The fact they were standing far as possible from the rocks conveys the discomfort and anxiety in the atmosphere of the town center. The tension in the air intensifies for what is to come--the stoning. They are afraid of the possibility that they may die. Finally, the discussion between the town members displays the apprehensiveness between them. “A sudden hush [has fallen upon] the crowd” when Mr. Summers reads the list. …show more content…

The sudden cease of speech between the people once the list is ready to be read presents the idea that the people are bothered about what’s going to happen after Mr.Summers finishes reading the list and by whether or not they have been ‘selected’--as a sacrifice for the

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