Irony and Tradition in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: A Psychological and Cultural Analysis
Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery uses irony to expose the dangers of blind conformity and the cruelty embedded in tradition. Through psychological, cultural, and historical perspectives, the story reveals how ordinary people normalize violence and suppress moral awareness in the name of unity. Jackson’s ironic contrast between the idyllic village and its brutal ritual highlights the existential crisis of unquestioned social customs, urging readers to critically examine the destructive power of inherited traditions.
References
Ningning, Ding, and Bing, Liu. “Chinese Public Sector Employees’ Age, Emotional Dissonance, Work Meaningfulness, And Perceived Stress”. Social Behavior and Personality, vol. 47, no. 1, 2019, pp. 1-13.
Shirley, Jackson. The Lottery. The New Yorker, 1948.
Smith, David J. “Introduction To The Special Issue On National Cultural Autonomy In Diverse Political Communities: Practices, Challenges, And Perspectives”. Nationalities Papers, vol. 48, no. 2, 2020, pp. 224-234.
Reference
StudyCorgi. (2025, November 1). Irony and Tradition in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: A Psychological and Cultural Analysis. https://studycorgi.video/irony-and-tradition-in-shirley-jacksons-the-lottery-a-psychological-and-cultural-analysis/