In shirley jackson's "the lottery", how does the author use tessie's late arrival to create suspense?
a. the reader knows that tessie is joining the crowd for an important event
b. the reader can infer that the children are excited to see tessie
c. the reader understands that the townspeople expect her to win the lottery
d. the reader experiences polite chatter between her and the townspeople

The correct answer is "A".

It is previously known by the reader that all the villagers in town are gathering together for the traditional lottery which is celebrated every June 27. However, due to the small population in the town (only 300 people), there is an expectation for Tessie's arrival at the event, due to the fact that every resident is expected to participate. This is known when the person responsible for leading the event asks if there is anyone missing and she gets the immediate response that an individual named Dunbar is not there.

A. the reader knows that tessie is joining a crowd for an important event.

Explanation:

judy jones is an attractive woman who receives attention from many men throughout the story.   despite her beautiful appearance, she is superficial and callous.   she is an aggressive woman who goes after any man she desires but she is not happy.   she is fickle and is never satisfied.   her beauty is only skin deep.   dexter breaks down because he knows his dreams are unattainable.   he believes that wealth and physical beauty are what will make him happy.   he soon realizes that she has lost her attractive looks.   it is not all what he had planned.