The Lottery Foreshadowing Analysis

Shirley Jackson’s, The Lottery, is a short story that begins innocent and unassuming, but finishes with a much darker undertone. Many themes are presented in this story but one is much more prominent; you need a willingness to change tradition. Jackson created characters that represented this theme very well, as they were able to convey the traditions and emotions she was trying to show without being boring or two-dimensional. The townspeople’s refusal to change - or even completely abandon - the tradition of a lottery is what will be their downfall.

While Jackson tries to mask the true meaning of the Lottery, the truth about the ritual soon comes out through the previous setting. The first example is when the boys are gathering the stones to put them in the corner. Finally Bobby, Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroix made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the attack of the other boys.” At the beginning of the story this seems like boys being boys playing with stones. The boys were gathering the stones so they could possess them to be able to stone whoever the poor victim was. The second example of Jackson’s use of setting to show the truth behind the town and its people is when Mr. Adams comments to Old Man Warner about a town to the north talking about withdrawing from the tradition of the Lottery. Old Man Warner gets upset and says, "Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing I know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for a while.” Now, in this moment the reader doesn’t see it, but later in the story I understand why this is wrong. Old Man Warner likes the idea of the Lottery because it’s been around since before he was born, and it’s a tradition. Jackson uses this also as a repressed setting change, but this time it’s more of a time period change, saying how before now, there was no problem with the

Jackson does not reveal the unethical and violent nature of the lottery until the very end, where the reader loses their earlier presumptions about an innocent lottery. Therefore, foreshadowing and suspense becomes a very large force in the story until the ending, and Jackson gives many hints to the reader. At the beginning of the story, children are found stuffing their pockets full and making towering piles of stones. Readers may brush this off as ordinary play of children, but in fact, it has a cruel purpose near the story’s end. Another area of foreshadowing is when Mr. Summers, the lottery’s organizer, asks the Watson boy to draw for him and his mother. Mr. Watson is not mentioned, like the other male head of households who pick for their families, so it can be assumed that Mr. Watson lost his life during the previous years’ lottery. All of this shows the juxtaposition between the seemingly everyday activities of the town and the cruel nature of what actually happens that day.

Foreshadowing can be described as “Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story” (Foreshadowing) In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, foreshadowing is used to create a glimpse into the future that later builds up into a surprising conclusion. All throughout the story there is many examples of foreshadowing that makes the ending of the short story very thrilling and shocking. Some foreshadowing that occurs is the gathering of stones, the hurry to get the lottery over with, and lastly how Tessie Hutchinson did not want to accept her husband “winning” the lottery.

“The Lottery” is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published on June 26, 1948. The story was initially met with negative critical reception due to its violent nature and portrayal of the potentially dangerous nature of human society. It was even banned in some countries. However, “The Lottery” is now widely accepted as a classic American short story and is used in classrooms throughout the country.

The idea of winning a lottery is associated with luck, happiness and anticipation of good things. In Shirley Jackson's story, " The Lottery", this is not the case. The irony of the story is that the winner of the lottery gets stoned to death by everyone else in the town. The story is very effective because it examines certain aspects of human nature.

In addition, Shirley Jackson’s Lottery presented us with some a similar form of foreshadowing that is not random but premeditated. Jackson explained the boys eager preparativeness to collect the stones for the horrific stoning of Tessie Hutchinson “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroxie..eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys. (Jackson 235). Jackson used this premeditated foreshadowing technique in her story which like O’Conner helped to slowly build up the tension and suspense that was needed to prepare their readers for what would be a very shocking climatic ending to both their stories. But Jackson also used certain symbols in the premeditated foreshadowing of this story to help illustrate the flow and movement of the story to the reader. For instance, the shabby splintered black box which was no longer black in color, This was due to the years of careless handling by Mr. Summers and

The lottery is usually associated with beating the odds and winning something extravagant. In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery”, the reader is led to believe the story is about something cheerful and happy given the setting of a warm summer day and children out of school for the summer. Jackson turns winning the lottery into a bad thing. Of 300 villagers Tessie Hutchinson shows up late, claiming she forgot about the annual lottery drawing, but seems very excited to have made it on time. When Tessie was in no danger she is gossiping with neighbors and encourages her husband to draw for the winner. Jackson curiously builds up the character of Tessie so that it seems she is blinded by tradition until she becomes a victim of it

            As the story goes on, each the following paragraphs contains subtle clues as to what is going to unfold.  After all of the children have gathered around, the men began to fill the square, followed by the women.  "They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner" (p.422).  The fact that they stood away from the stones, again, informs the reader that the stones will play a significant role.  Nervousness amongst the people is manifested due to the children's reluctance to join their parents in the square.  At this particular moment, there is a feeling that this lottery is not going to have a pleasant outcome.

She used her own words to foreshadowed that some big thing will happen later in this village. And is not only a usual foreshadowing, Shirley created another

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a terrify story about a small town and their traditions. The Ending of the lottery is the most shocking many of its readers have ever read. Why is it so shocking. Well Shirley jackson uses sybolism and simple narritive and her normal life to convey such a shock.

Lotteries generally bring riches to the winner however that’s not the case in Shirley Jackson’s Short Story, “The Lottery,” published June, 1948. The story starts out very pleasant and calm with a tiny flinch of nervousness from the lottery participants. It seems at first that the winner of the lottery would get a somewhat significant prize considering all the build up to the big prize reveal, however, the winner, Tessie Hutchinson, ends up getting stoned to death by the kids and adults alike. Instead of a big happy prize Jackson wrote the story to point out meaningless victimization and inhumane activities that have taken place throughout history. Some violent and dark events of that time that highlight Jackson’s viewpoint of inhumanity

Many of the small, undetected details throughout “ The Lottery” seem to foreshadow a disturbing ending to the story. In the beginning of the story children gather around and form piles of stones in the time square. This comes off as very child-like and innocent and does not lead the reader to feel any way suspicious about these children’s purpose for piling the stones. The real purpose of the stones is obviously is revealed toward the end of the story. Tessie seems to show up late to the lottery, which kind of shines a light on her, and makes her stand out from the crowd. Mr. Summers makes a comment on how they were going to have to start the lottery without

“In the town they tell the story of the great pearl - how it was found and how it was lost again.” The beginning quote of “The Pearl” already gives a hint of foreshadowing. It tells the readers that a pearl will be found, but then be lost again. Foreshadowing is an element of writing that is often something that a reader will find while analyzing the story. Foreshadowing is a great way to give suspicion and excitement to a story. It also creates an active reader as they are constantly predicting what the hint could be foreshadowing at. From the opening sentence to the end of the novella John Steinbeck creates suspense in the reader by foreshadowing.

Has anybody ever have a thought of what it would be like winning the lottery? The wonderful luxurious things it can bring to our life and to our loved ones. The thought of being able to pay off any type of debt. Having the chance to explore the beautiful places in this world. The idea of not having to worry about getting up early in the morning every day to go to work. The chance of winning the lottery will change a person’s life mostly. But winning the lottery is it really a good thing or bad thing? In the short story of “The Lottery” book written by Shirley Jackson, it explains how sweet like lemon, life can be to many of us. Shirley Jackson uses many techniques and talent to describe the story of how people’s life change base upon their sacrifices, responsibilities, and faith.