The Lottery

Irony in The Lottery

Shirley Jackson wrote the story "The Lottery." A lottery is typically

thought of as something good because it usually involves winning something

such as money or prizes. In this lottery it is not what they win but it is

what is lost. Point of views, situations, and the title are allironic to

the story "The Lottery."

The point of view in "The Lottery" is ironic to the outcome. Jackson

used third person dramatic point of view when writing "The Lottery." The

third person dramatic point of view allowed the author to keep the outcome

of the story a surprise. The outcome is ironic because the readers are led

to believe everything is fine because we do not really know what anyone is

thinking. This point of view enables the ending to be ironic.

The situations in "The Lottery" are ironic. The author's use of words

keeps the reader thinking that there is nothing wrong and that everyone is

fine. The story starts by describing the day as "clear and sunny"(309).

The people of the town are happy and going on as if it is every other day.

The situation where Mrs. Hutchinson is jokingly saying to Mrs. Delacroix

"Clean forgot what day it was"(311) is ironic because something that is so

awful cannot truly be forgotten. At the end of the story when Mrs.

Hutchinson is chosen for the lottery, it is ironic that it does not upset

her that she was chosen. She is upset because of the way she is chosen.

She shows this by saying "It isn't fair, it isn't right" (316). The

situation is extremely ironic to the story.

The title of the story "The Lottery" is ironic. By reading the title

of the story the reader may think that someone is going to win something.