Shirley Jackson creates horror by playing with the psychological state of her characters. In 'The Haunting of Hill House', she makes the characters' fears and insecurities palpable, and then adds the unknown elements of the haunted house. The readers can feel the horror through the characters' experiences. Also, she uses the setting effectively. The small - town setting in 'The Lottery' which seems so normal at first, but then reveals its dark side.
Jackson creates horror in multiple ways. She builds suspense slowly. In 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle', she gradually reveals the secrets of the family and the strange situation they are in. This slow build - up keeps the readers on edge. She also uses the reactions of the other characters in the story to enhance the horror. When the characters in 'The Lottery' seem so nonchalant about the stoning at first, it makes it even more terrifying.
She often uses psychological elements. For example, in 'The Haunting of Hill House', she plays with the characters' fears and insecurities. The uncertainty about what is really happening in the house is a big part of the horror.
Shirley Jackson creates suspense by withholding information. In 'The Haunting of Hill House', she doesn't immediately tell the readers what exactly is haunting the house. She gives small hints and strange occurrences, which keeps the readers guessing. Also, her use of unreliable narrators, like in some of her other stories, adds to the suspense. We are never quite sure if what the narrator is telling us is the whole truth or if there are hidden secrets they are unaware of or deliberately hiding.
She uses setting. Old, dilapidated houses and desolate landscapes are common in her works. These settings immediately give a feeling of unease. For instance, in 'The Haunting of Hill House', the house itself is like a character, full of secrets and mystery.
The use of the ordinary setting also adds to the suspense. A small village on a sunny day is not a place we would expect something sinister to happen. So when the true nature of the lottery is revealed, it is all the more shocking because it goes against our expectations of such a seemingly idyllic place.
She uses a slow build - up. At first, she describes the ordinary village scene, like the kids gathering stones and the adults chatting. This makes you think it's just a normal day in a small town. But as the lottery process starts, there's a sense of unease that grows.
Jackson uses the reactions of the characters to create suspense. The nervousness of some of the villagers, like Mrs. Hutchinson being late, makes the reader wonder what's really going on. Also, the way the villagers seem to be holding their breath when the lottery starts adds to the feeling of unease. For instance, when the families are called up one by one, the tension mounts as we don't know who will be the final 'winner' of this strange lottery.
Jackson creates horror through the characters' psychological breakdowns. As they start to experience strange things, their fear and paranoia grow, and this makes the reader feel on edge. Also, the use of ambiguity. We're not always sure if what's happening is real or just in the characters' minds, which is very unsettling. The language she uses is also very effective. She describes the smallest details in a way that makes them seem spooky, like the cold drafts that seem to have a malevolent presence.
Shirley Jackson's personal experiences and emotions often found their way into her stories. Her upbringing, relationships, and the societal context she lived in influenced the themes and characters she created.
The small - town setting gives an illusion of safety which is then shattered. It makes the horror more intense as it shows that horror can lurk even in the most ordinary places.
Her writing style is often marked by a sense of the uncanny. In this collection, she likes to build suspense gradually. For example, in 'The Lottery', she starts with a seemingly normal village scene and then slowly reveals the dark nature of the lottery.