The Lottery

In many stories, settings are constructed to help build the mood and to foreshadow of things to come. "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some …

…d that sometimes we continue to participate in (or tolerate) harmful practices. This is simply because as individuals we feel powerless and unable to stand up against behaviors that have always been accepted. The setting has set us up for a shocking and deadly end. What seemed like a wonderful, joy-filled day ended with an unfortunate, tragic death. This is what makes this story so disturbing and horrifying but a wonderful work of literature art.