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Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
Jackson’s writing style in “The Lottery” is simple and direct. She rarely includes any figurative language or lyrical prose, and she doesn’t enter the minds of any of the characters. She opts, instead, to report on the dynamics between characters and the proceedings of the lottery in a neutral manner. This style comes across in the following passage in which Jackson introduces readers to Mr. Summers, the overseer of the lottery:
The lottery was conducted—as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program—by Mr. Summers who had time and energy to devote to civic activities. He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business, and people were sorry for him because he had no children and his wife was a scold.
Here Jackson describes Mr. Summers in a direct and neutral way, noting how he conducts the civic activities in the town and describing him with the simple language of “round-faced” and “jovial.” She notes that “people were sorry for him” because he is childless and his wife has a reprimanding nature, but doesn’t explicitly agree or disagree with this assessment.
This neutral, everyday writing style is notable because it contributes to the sense of normalcy in the story. Because the narrator’s writing style suggests that the events of the story are ordinary, readers are lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that, if the lottery were a “bad” thing, surely the narrator’s style or tone would suggest as much.
Related Themes:
