Decoding Symbols in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

Abstract

General Conclusion Symbolism, as a literary device, has been used by literary men in many occasions. They used them generally to convey certain messages and to connect some truths that are inaccessible. Usually, symbols appear in different literary works amongst short stories, exactly the works of Shirley Jackson. Jackson is known for her recurrent significant use of symbols. She used them in The Lottery, her famous and most controversial short story. This story was rejected for its shocking themes and realities. The whole thesis goes around one point which is that Shirley reversed the literary tradition of symbolism. In her usage of symbols, she chose some conventional metaphors and she addresses shocking themes that no reader can attain. She also, as a writer, used her craft and wrote a masterpiece to prove her literary craft. Symbolism was, in fact, her way to connect the reader with the harsh realities that they want to blink an eye of. Also her choice of the characters' names is significant and symbolic as well. Shirley used many objects as symbols. During our analysis to The Lottery, we found that the fundamental principal symbol Shirley Jackson has used is "the black box". The black box symbolizes many things, but in general, it is a symbol of death; it is black and the the story always ends with the death of one of the villagers. The irony is that, although that all villagers know how this game will end; they are all excited and waiting for it. Finally, Shirley used many of the symbolic names of characters. The names are familiar in the literary scene. We have the family name; Hutchinson, Mr. Summers. The color black of the box and the mark in the paper and many objects: the square, the stones as well