Analysis Of Setting In “The Lottery” Essay

Analysis of Setting in The drafting Setting, the time, position, and objects in which the sluicets of a literary fly the coop occur. This important factor is needed to help the reader familiarize himself with what he is reading. Many writers use cathode-ray oscilloscope to establish a realistic background, transport us to strange and exotic places, or even to require a certain mood (Paschal 4). For example, doctorting as described in The Lottery is a subtile present day townspeople on a clear and sunny summer day. Shirley Jackson makes this know because it sets the mood in the reference for the wry turnaround at the end. With her intent to shock the reader she uses list points the first of such is the time termination that the point takes place.Jacksons story takes place during the beginning of summer right around the time that school is let out for summer recess. Second is the side of the drafting. She has the drawing held in the middle of town, the same place that the y hold all of there family events. Third would be the actual obscure box that they put the ballots in, she uses this as a figure of tradition. Jacksons glorious use of stage setting ironically shows her intent to instill shock in the minds of her readers.As we study move on into the setting of Jacksons The Lottery we come to the first key point which is the time period that the story takes place. Jackson states that it is June 27th, which can be associated with the summer solstice, or the longest day of summer. This day has as well as been known to have ritualistic overtones. The year is left open to give the reader the sense that the story is current. The time is set at around 1000am and it says that the flowers are blossoming and that the grass is richly super acid (Paschal 124).This is to give the reader a feeling of serenity as Jackson wants the reader to feel as if this were an ideal town on an ideal day. She sets a time frame for the actual lottery to occur. Since the l ottery last approximately two hours it must start at 1000 so that they can be home in time for noon dinner (Paschal 124). This gives the reader the idea that this event is a vulgarality ritual and that they have a set schedule to go by. All of this sets the reader up for the ironic twist at the end of the story. In a sense Jackson uses this ideal town as a camouflage to hide her true intent.The next of Jacksons key points is the actual location of the lottery. Shesets the lottery in the middle of town between the verify and the post way (website 1). This part of town is know as the Town Square and is the place where they hold most of there family activities (Paschal 124). Since the story is set in capacious daylight you can visualize all the families congregating like one would for a local community picnic. It says that the children are breaking in boisterous play and the men are talk of the town about planting and rain, tractors and taxes (website 1). The buildings that Jacks on uses are symbolic and put across a strong message. The bank is a symbol of wealth or money, while on the other hand the post office is a symbol of government. One could say that the point being made here is that she uses these symbols in correlation coefficient with the lottery to say that whenever money and the government are involved there is corruption. At this point in the story Jackson would have the reader to believe that a town that appears to be so principle couldnt commit such an unthink able-bodied action at the towns family meeting place in broad daylight.The third and final key point used is the black box. Jackson uses this as a symbol of many things, one being tradition. The box is described as being shabby, splintered, faded and even dye (Paschal 125). This symbol of tradition clearly shows how this baseball club or culture is afraid of change. Not only does the black box symbolize tradition it symbolizes reverence. As the box is introduced in the story it chan ges the mood of the people. Jackson states that as the box is placed on the stool, the villagers kept there distance (Paschal 125). The box embodies all of the evil acts punish in the past and the ones to come (website 2). One would think that if they were so afraid of this box why not make another one or even do away with the ritual completely. Perhaps their fear of change is stronger than their fear of fear itself. To these people the black box holds the key to life and death. Jacksons use of the black box as a symbol demonstrates shock in that the people of this society would rather hold on to a greater evil rather than loose a lesser one.As noted above in the analysis of setting in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery we found that setting can be an important factor in any story because it sets an breeze that the reader can use to explain certain events withina story. For example, in Steven Cranes The Bride comes to Yellow gear the setting is in what is known as the Wild West. Withou t the reader knowing this they wouldnt be able to relate to Scratchy wearing cowboy clothes and shooting his guns in the bar. Another example would be in William Shakespeares Macbeth in which Shakespeare uses medieval Europe as the setting. Without knowledge of this you wouldnt be able to explain why people would kill there own relatives just to gain power, or to even explain why it was common practice to consult a witch for advice. For some that was a common thing for people of Europe in that time period. In essence the appropriate use of setting to illustrate a writers intent in a story can be an effective way to have ones reader be able to relate to what he is reading.mWebsite 1- Various side Essays Irony of Setting in The Lottery www.cheathouse.com/restricted/essays/ess1/348.html Website 2- Chuck IIIs College Resources Theses & Dissertations lottery www.chuckiii.com/reports/theses_&_ Dissertations/lottery.shtml Paschal, Hugh H. A Formalistic Approach to Freshan Composition. Du buque, IA Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2000