Ironies in The Lottery

Abstract

Shirley Jackson is a prestigious writer in the twentieth century. Different from other female writers who are romantic and tender, and who tend to convince readers with soft words and mild tones, she writes stories which are often violent and bloody. She is willing to shock readers with impressive and unforgettable scenes, and she likes to use ironic pictures to insinuate her criticisms. The short story, “The Lottery” is a typical example of her use of irony. Previous researches on the story have mainly focused on people in the village who are bound by tradition or on the analysis of South America in the light of cultural study. This paper intends to analyze the story from the angle of the use of irony in the story, through which the author artfully punches on the indifferent people, capitalism, and religion.

Key words: Shirley Jackson; The lottery; Ironies and ironic figures