Foreshadowing the Lottery

After reading “The Lottery” for the first time, you stop and ask yourself, why didn’t I see this ending coming? You really have to read the piece a second time to even begin to notice all of the small subtleties that Jackson uses as clues that lead to the grim conclusion of the story. A lottery usually brings images of some lucky person receiving a great prize. Lotteries are usually associated with a winner …showed first 75 words of 1025 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1025 total…pick up on the foreshadowing Jackson uses to give small glimpses to the end result of the story. The very first paragraph is a good indication that something out of the ordinary is going to take place. Jackson uses a plethora of foreshadowing to indicate that the winner of the lottery is in fact the loser. There is at least one clue in each paragraph that villagers are not looking forward to this sinister lottery.