“The Lottery”, a short story by Shirley Jackson conveys a sinister tone through the use of distinct word choice and menacing details. The lottery is an annual ritual that is conducted throughout an entire village leading to the inhumane assassination of a resident. After Mr. Summers calls Tessie’s name addressing her to select a paper from the box, she walks up to the box in a “hesitant” and “defiant” manner (33). Utilizing the words “hesitant” and “defiant” characterizes the setting as an unsettling scene because it causes the reader to produce an inference into why Tessie would act this way. Tessie’s actions contribute to a sinister tone as it illustrates that something wrong will occur since a person would not be hesitant unless it would
