The Lottrey

setting in the lottery

The Use of Setting in “The Lottery”
Shirley Jackson effectively uses setting in “The Lottery�� to foreshadow an ironic ending. In many stories, settings are constructed to help build the mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The story sets up the reader to expect good things from the lottery. However, the description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what the reader expects. Shirley Jackson develops this through a description of the physical setting, a general description of the residents, and subtle hints throughout the story.
The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time of year the story takes place. This is important to get the reader to focus on what a typical day it is in this small town. The setting set forth by Shirley Jackson in the beginning of the story creates a mood of peacefulness and tranquility. It also creates a visual image in the mind of the reader of a typical town on a normal summer day. Shirley Jackson tells you that school has just been let out so you know that it is early summer.
Analysis of Setting in

A Setting Analysis of “The Lottery”
Setting is, as defined by Dr. Hugh H. Paschal, “an author’s use of time, place, and props�� (374). Even though the setting in a literary work proves successful in achieving the author’s desired outcome, readers often neglect its importance. Using realism, the author brings the reader into his work and the environment feels natural to him. Setting can influence what the character does. His environment may contribute to his personality, values, attitudes, and problems. Organization provides the familiarity of a setting, allowing the reader to form a mental picture of the scene. Through detailed illustrations the author sets the atmosphere or mood of their work. Irony in setting allows the reader various insights of a literary work than what was initially presented
(Paschal 46-49). For example, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery�� initially offers a sense of calmness and peace in an ordinary town and leaves the reader in shock with the stoning of a random member in the community. First, Jackson uses the aspect of time to describe the season the work takes place. She writes, “June 27th was clear and sunny, with the

Analysis of The Lottery
When developing an inspiration for a story, a writer must put many ideas into the process. There are numerous items that when combined create an interesting and pleasurable story. There are many characteristics that a story must encompass to be enjoyable. Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery�� concerns a small town’s annual lottery drawing and the grim circumstances that ensue. In ths short but disturbingly profound piece of work Shirley Jackson communicates to the reader the theme of the story along with its implications concerning traditions.
In The Lottery, tradition plays a key role in keeping one town happy and peaceful. The lottery occurs every year on June 27. Although the lottery may be a little morally unjust, it is still a tradition and traditions are hard to break. The lottery for the town is the backbone of the community. The lottery for the town brings a day of conversation and happiness. The boys run around and gather rocks. The girls talk to one another and the women “...greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip as they went to join their husbands�� (268). The men gather, “... surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes�� (268). The lottery is used to bring people toget