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Essay / Typically use these stones to kill Tessie Hutchinson. As the story goes, “Bobby Martin had already filled his pockets with stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby, Harry Jones, and Dickie Delacroix—the villagers pronounced the name "Dellacroy"—eventually formed a large pile of stones in one corner of the square and protected it against raids by the other boys” (Jackson 127). No one is excluded from this tradition since even Tessie's son, little Davy Hutchinson, is offered stones to help him kill his own mother. These weapons are rudimentary and show that violence is fundamental to human nature, even in the hands of children. By the end of the story, it seems that the villagers have forgotten the traditions of the lottery; however, “they did not forget to use stones” to kill (132). The symbolism of the stones further enhances the story as it is able to connect to the real world and represent the wild essence. Irony in the Lottery Another widely used literary device found in “The Lottery” is irony. The characters seem to have a particular ironic connotation. An example of a character with an ironic name is Mr. Summers, the man responsible for drawing names from the black box. The name Mr. Summer is associated with being a warm and pleasant season, usually a joyful and festive time. However, we see that Mr. Summers is, in fact, responsible for selecting a random citizen who will be senselessly murdered and who will be the one to bring about death and darkness. Mr. Graces is another character with an ironic name. Mr. Graves' disposition when entering the lottery reflects the importance of the lottery itself. In the story it says, “She watched Mr. Graves come from the side of the box, greet Mr. Summers gravely, and choose a piece of paper from the box” (130). This situation is obviously inappropriate because it is neither the time nor the place for warm greetings between friends; someone may be called upon to be murdered by their friends and family. It is Mr. Graves who collects the papers from the family who drew the slip with the black dot. The story goes that Mr. Graves selected the five sheets and put them in the box, and he dropped all the papers except those on the ground where the breeze caught them and lifted them up" (131). . Afterward, Mr. Graves seems to understand the seriousness of the lottery and the damage it causes to the person who "wins." However, he still doesn't seem to want to question the consequences the lottery has on each year and blindly chooses to comply. The irony used in the story helps to strengthen the story because it expresses obedience when it turns out to do more harm than good. The names help to show how no one chooses to break from tradition for fear of the consequences that would follow and further develop the characters' thoughts and actions. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a Custom EssayConclusionSymbolism and irony are two literary devices that contributed to the development of the short stories “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “The Lottery”. Through the use of these devices, the author is able to establish an overarching theme and explain the thoughts and actions of the characters. “A good man is hard to find” implies a struggle between good and evil. The grandmother embodies the goodness that can be found in people. The opposite can be said of the Misfit as he represents evil and is incapable of sympathizing with others. “The Lottery” represents a struggle within a. 119-127.
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