Free Custom «Suspense and Surprise» Essay Paper

The lottery is a short story published in the year 1948. It stands out to be the most famous short story in the history of American literature. After its release, the book attracted negativeresponseto the uttersurpriseof its author. Things changed for the better since then the book has enjoyedacceptancebecause of keen interpretations. Reading thestoryevokes puzzlement and curiosity that are the key factors of itssurprisingending. Thesurprisingendcould also be attributed to the author’s lack of experience. The deliberate use of suspense by Shirley Jackson developedtheunexpectedending and toobscurethe meaning of the short story.

Suspense in literature refers to the situation of uncertainty or doubtfulness. Surprise refers to the unanticipated encounter or an event. “The Lottery” in Shirley’sstoryuses anincidentofpublicstone throwing; this surprises the reader because it is contrary to the reader who expects to see people win lotteries. The day startswellwith warm temperature of a summer day, this introduction enhances thefeelingthe reader gets when reading thestory. “The Lottery” focuses on the central theme of human wickedness. The author successfully does this by showing everybody as an average being. In the story, the need to know theprotagonistremained a futile exercise.

 

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All characters gotequaltreatment to ensure that the individual for sacrificing could be anyone. The conversation in the story hops from anticipated to unexpected statements. When Mr. Summer suggests that the blacklotterybox should be replaced, it is surprising to note that people are not willing toreplacetheboxthat is atraditionof the society. There is a surprise toindividualcharacters, like the old man who does notexpectayoungchaplike Joe Summer to stand at a raisedpointand start joking with everybody (Shirley 14).

Jackson’stoneremaineddetached; the tone leaves the reader with much suspense as to whether anybody listened to Tessie when giving her speeches. Characters’ actionscreatesurprise to the readers. It is surprising to see Mrs. Delacroix, supposedly Tessie’s bestallyreproach Tessie. Mrs. Delacroix makes Tessie a legitimate sport by mentioning that all of them took equal opportunities, with aneventualityof selecting anenormousstoneand throwing it at Tessie. The tension created by everyone wanting tohavethe lottery completed, with actions opposed to theoutcomeby disrupting theprocesswith stone throwing of the lottery surprises the reader of the short story “The Lottery”.

It is surprising to the old man Warner that the north village intended tohaltthe lottery yet they finished conducting itquickly. The outcome of the lottery is surprising; instead of someone winning the hefty sum of money, Tessie became the scapegoat of the lottery. The implications foreshadowed in the piling of stones by children was acausefor the alarm to those present at the square, surprisingly not any single person couldinterpretthis andtakepropercaution. The sequentialhappeningof events remains surprising to the reader because the storyis narratedat alimitedpresentpoint of view. The histories of chosen characterswere told but characters thoughtsare not told,hence,leaving the reader in muchsuspenseof what their thoughts were. If Shirley Jacksonputthe thoughts of characters in the story then the end of the story could be predicted.

Flat characterswere usedtolessenthe high chances of surprise. For instance, men commenced toassemble, appraising their children, talking about planting and rain, taxes and trucks. This is agroupof persons adding to the familiarity of the scene at the beginning of the short story. Contrary to the expectations of readers, Tessie Hutchinson, who opposes the lottery and its injustices is the one whoishitby stones anindicatorthat the majority of the people were wrong. The readeris leftinsuspenseat some point in the story. Thewifeto Mr. Summeris saidto be a scold but the author fails tobriefthe reader how justified it is to call her ascold. The point that Mr. Summer lacks childrenis not elaboratedon whether Mr. Summer isimpotantor his wife is unfertile (Darryl 12).

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The tool ofsuspensein thestoryapplies when the villagersare obligedtoopentheir papers, in order to see whohas been selectedfor the lottery. The fact that there is revealing of whomwas picked, the readeris leftnot knowing the criteria for picking winners. The high expectations of what the lottery may beputthe reader insuspenseof seeing who the winner is and what befalls him or her. The question about when the lotteryboxwas madeand when the oldest man in the villagewas bornis alsosuspense. The readeris leftquestioning who made the first lotteryboxand what improvements could be done to theboxshould it be replaced.

The story (“The Lottery”) by Shirley Jackson harbors teachings about life and itsreality. There is no fairness in the ending of the story. Tessieis selectedrandomly by a drawing togetstoned, giving the predicaments facing many scapegoats of these days. The teachings are that organizations that fail todeliverto societal expectations always avoid responsibility and blame it on individuals. The ending of the story is amess, because it ends surprising the reader with theprincipalcharacter losing. The protagonist fails togetwhat she wants and ends upbeing torturedby the system. The reader’s expectations of the winner are to take home somethingfabulous, the author gives them unanticipatedending.