All traditions have an intention and a purpose dedicated to the current time period, but it may come to a point where practice is no longer justified. In 'The Lottery', a short story written by Shirley Jackson, a rural town of 300 is 'celebrating' the killing of one member, which is believed to ensure a profitable harvest for the year. Tessie, the main character of the story, is chosen as this year’s winner to be brutally stoned by her own family, for the sake of everyone else’s well-being. Shirley Jackson uses many different literary devices, particularly foreshadowing, to suggest that outdated traditions blind and prevent the partakers from following the inevitable evolution in the world today.
The frequent use of foreshadowing through the characters' actions indirectly suggests the savage violence depicted in the resolution. Throughout the whole plot, the reader assumes that the connotation of the lottery is positive, considering the given title and the town’s casual behavior. However, there are hints of the plot twist even in the exposition, when “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones” (Jackson, 1). The phrase “smoother and roundest” shows that the character pays close detail to something that seems insignificant, which implies that it is important to the plot. Now, with a feeling of suspicion of the essence of the tradition, one should take note when the crowd says, “'Here comes your Missus, Hutchinson', and 'Bill, she made it after all'. Mrs. Hutchinson reached her husband, and Mr. Summers, who had been waiting, said cheerfully, 'Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie'” (Jackson, 3). By pinpointing Tessie specifically, it hints that she may play a crucial role in the outcome of the lottery. These very minor details plant a seed of anticipation in the back of the reader’s mind, adding complexity to the story.
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There comes a point where the significance of a tradition has faded as a result of the world’s advancements and is simply now a restraint. Through the use of foreshadowing, along with other literary devices, Shirley Jackson implies that as the world develops, society must correspond, even if it results in straying from past practices. With the world constantly changing, communities, such as this one, are being pushed to adapt and change with it. Refusing to live in the present alters the evolution that is ensured to come.
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