The tone of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is one of pervasive dread, as the author deliberately imbues the narrative with a sense of growing tension and mounting horror that culminates in the disturbing ending.
From the outset, the simplicity of the story lends an air of foreboding, as the reader becomes aware of a gathering under a clear sky that is seemingly ordinary, but is soon revealed to be anything but.
The lottery itself lacks the celebratory atmosphere normally associated with this type of event, and its ritualistic, ritual but ritualistic emphasis on age-old traditions further intensifies the suspense.
As the characters go through the motions of the lottery and its aftermath, the sense of dread builds to a fever pitch, ultimately culminating in a shocking finale. By using a muted but threatening tone, Jackson establishes a dark and oppressive atmosphere that serves to heighten the tension until the dreadful climax is reached.
What is the mood and tone of the short story The Lottery?
The mood of the short story The Lottery is one of tension and foreboding. Throughout the story, the reader sees the village gathering for their annual ritual in a sort of uneasy anticipation, with no one willing to express any doubts until the final scene.
The lottery brings up a feeling of dread, as the reader knows that someone will be chosen as the unfortunate victim. Jackson paints a picture of an ordinary village going about its everyday activities with a sense of unease and suspense in the air.
The tone of The Lottery is also one of dread and anticipation. Jackson’s writing is filled with eerie imagery and foreshadowing, and her use of repetition and irony adds a sinister edge to the proceedings.
When the lottery is drawn from the black box, a sense of doom hangs in the air. As the reader waits for the names to be chosen, the sense of dread increases until it reaches a fever pitch at the end of the story.
What is the key theme of the lottery?
The key theme of “The Lottery” is that of unchecked collective violence. The story centers around a small village and their annual lottery, an annual event which culminates with the chosen ‘winner’ being stoned by the other villagers.
The idea of such a savage ceremony almost carries a feeling of religious fanaticism, as it is clearly a tradition in the village which has been passed down and accepted as a norm. The horror of such a phenomenon is emphasized by the lack of explanation given as to why the lottery is still in practice – it is merely accepted as a fact.
Another key theme of this story is the fragility of tradition, as once the villagers are made aware of the senselessness of their actions they are shocked and frozen in disbelief. By making this story a snapshot of a single moment in time, Jackson further hammers home the notion that blindly following tradition could have dangerous and unexpected consequences.
How does the mood change from the beginning of The Lottery to its conclusion?
At the beginning of The Lottery, the mood of the story is predominantly casual and light, as the townspeople chat, joke and greet one another. They even draw names out of a box amusingly and without much ceremony; Tessie even laughs when her name is the first to be called.
It creates an air of conviviality, normality and safety, but as the story progresses, the mood darkens and becomes steadily more intimidating and oppressive.
The townspeople are described as gathering around Tessie in a “threatening circle”, and as the lottery progresses, Dunston talks of reviving a former tradition of putting a “black box” in a designated place in the village.
Their enthusiasm for the lottery and the callousness of their comments about Tessie’s chances of being selected make the situation seem increasingly surreal, unfeeling and savage. By the conclusion of the story, the mood of the story is one of fatalism, resignation and fear; Tessie’s fate has been sealed, and there is a sense of inevitability about her execution.
What kind of mood do the villagers seem to be in The Lottery?
The villagers in The Lottery appear to be in a very somber mood. Their faces appear to be grim and heavy as if a dark cloud is looming over them. They are all very orderly and careful, almost as if moving in synchronization.
As if all of the humor has been drained from the proceedings. Even the children seem to sense the weight and importance of the event that is about to take place, playing quietly in the shadows of their parents and their elders.
In general, the atmosphere is one of tense anticipation, foreboding, and dread, with a sense of unease that pervades the entire gathering.
How does the author of The Lottery build tension?
The author of The Lottery, Shirley Jackson, builds tension through the use of foreshadowing and mysterious imagery. The story begins with a general feeling of unease as the villagers assemble for the lottery, and this sense of unease immediately sets the tone for what is to come.
Additionally, Jackson uses words and phrases like “strange ritual,” “cloudy”, “hushed,” and “ancient ritual,” to create a feeling of mystery and dread that is only compounded by the fact that no one can explain why the lottery is taking place.
Further tension is created by the black box in which the names of each family member are written, as well as the villagers’ attitude toward Tessie Hutchinson—the one person who draws the black dot—when they realize it is her who will be selected.
Jackson also increases the sense of suspense near the end of the story when the villagers discuss stopping the lottery altogether. As the story concludes, it becomes increasingly clear that the villagers have accepted something horrid and irreversible.
All these techniques work together to create a mounting sense of tension and anticipation that carries the story to its dreadfully inevitable conclusion.
Why was tone important in the lottery?
The tone in the lottery is incredibly important because it helps convey the underlying tension and suspense of the story. Without it, the story would feel flat and uneventful. The lottery, as told by Shirley Jackson, creates a sense of unease, fear, and suspense in the reader from the very beginning.
The tone of the story has been described as oppressive, dark, and brooding. This feeling is achieved through a variety of techniques, such as the use of mundane, matter-of-fact descriptions that create a sense of dread, an overall mysterious sense of the lottery, and a sense of a lack of control from the characters.
All of these techniques help to make the tone in the lottery so powerful and effective. The tone helps set the mood and foreshadow the events to come. It helps to convey the intensity and horrifying nature of the climax.
Without the tone, the lottery would just be a mundane activity lost in a sea of stories. The tone helps to put the reader in the role of the characters and make them feel like they too are bearing witness to the nightmarish event at the end of the story.
Is the narrator in The Lottery omniscient?
No, the narrator in The Lottery is not omniscient. The character of the narrator is instead a limited or a third-person limited narrator which means that the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character, in this case being Tessie Hutchinson.
The narrator does not have a god-like knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters or the events in the village.
The narrator is also not omniscient in that the reader can see a certain amount of irony and foreshadowing in their language that the narrator may not be able to consciously pick up on. For example, when Tessie says “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right,” before she is chosen, the reader can sense foreshadowing yet the narrator may not pick up on this subconscious implication.
Furthermore, since the narrator is part of the town, they may be too invested in the rituals of the town to make an unbiased opinion.
Ultimately, The Lottery is written in such a way that the reader can observe things that the narrator cannot. The narrator is limited in their understanding of the events that are taking place and has no god-like knowledge or awareness.