How Does Shirley Jackson Use Irony In The Lottery

In Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery", she uses many literary devices. However the most prevalent are irony and symbolism. Jackson uses irony and symbolism to illustrate the underlying darker theme not evident in the beginning of the short story. The use of irony is in almost every paragraph. Even the title of the story is ironic because it represents something positive but in the end the reader finds the true meaning of the title to be negative. "Part of the horrific effect of Jackson's writing stems from the author's technique of unfolding plot as if it were conventional, even though it is not." (Wagner-Martin). Thus, through irony and symbolism Jackson paints a grim portrait of life and death in this small town.

First she sets the story in a very quaint, quiet and
The men gather together telling jokes and talking "...of planting and rain, tractors and taxes..." (500). The women "...greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip..." (500). The children were also ironically calm as they talked of "...the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands" (500). The townspeople act as though this gathering is a happy event, yet as the story evolves, the reader learns that the death of one of their own is approaching. "Jackson's brilliance is to convince the reader that the residents of the community are normal, ordinary people; and that the rule that they accept so unquestioningly is no more extreme than other orders that comprise patriarchal law" (Wagner-Martin).

The introduction of the black box is a key turning point in the setting. At first it symbolizes mystery to the reader, but by the end the box symbolizes doom, darkness, and fear. "The villagers kept their distance" (500). The box holds the tickets for the lottery. The winner is chosen by a drawing. Whoever holds the ticket with a black dot is selected as the "winner". The box holds the fate of one of the