Final answer:
The irony in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' is that unlike a typical lottery, which is associated with luck and good fortune, this lottery culminates in a morbid ritual. Hints that it is not positive include the collection of stones, the anxious mood of the citizens, and the ritualistic atmosphere of the event.
Step-by-step explanation:
The irony of the annual lottery in Shirley Jackson's short story, The Lottery, lies in the stark contrast between what is usually perceived as a lucky or joyous event and the horrifying reality of the story's lottery. The story leads readers to believe the lottery is a positive event through cultural connotations associated with lotteries, but hints along the way, such as the townspeople's nervousness and the mention of stones, suggest otherwise.
Some hints that indicate the lottery is not a positive event include the children collecting stones in the beginning of the story, the somber mood of the townspeople, and the lottery taking on a ritualistic, rather than celebratory, tone. These elements foreshadow the grim conclusion of the lottery, which ends with a ritualistic stoning, thereby challenging the reader's expectations of a lottery as a source of good fortune.