the lottery

Irony of The Setting in The Lottery The setting set forth by Shirley Jackson in the beginning of The Lottery creates a mood of peacefulness and tranquillity. This setting also creates an image in the mind of the reader, the image of a typical town on a normal summer day. Furthermore, Shirley Jackson uses the setting in The Lottery to foreshadow an ironic ending. First, Shirley Jackson begins The Lottery by establishing the setting. To …

…the end of the story. For instance, the mood created by the flowers and summertime setting create a peacefulness about the town. Furthermore, the ending proves to be totally opposite of the mood presented in the first paragraph. The ending is ironic from the beginning in that everyone in this town commits an unlawful act by stoning an innocent person. Conversely, the setting created a mood of peacefulness within the town and among the residents.