The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
No matter how many times I read it – and I have read it countless times – The Lottery remains one of the most disturbing short stories I have ever come across. Even sixty-five years after it was written it is still an exceptionally influential and relevant piece of dystopian fiction that poses an array of difficult questions concerning tradition, morality and humanity, while simultaneously displaying the absolute absurdity of man.
The story is set in a small village in America on the twenty-seventh of June, a day in which all towns, villages and cities in the country take part in an annual lottery. The locals initially flock together in good spirits but there is an odd hush surrounding the topic of the lottery itself, a strange trepidation that sits uncomfortably with the villagers. This nervousness is more noticeable in the adults of the community, particularly with the parents as they seem strangely overprotective of their children during this communal event.
As time moves on the crowd grows increasingly somber. The person conducting proceedings, Mr Summers, is keen to get the whole event over with as quickly as possible so that everyone can get back to work, but at the same time there is a great feeling of dread and reluctance with him. This begs the question what is the lottery for, and what happens to the person who is chosen?
There are so many layers within this story and it is truly admirable how much has been crammed into such a small word count. Jackson unloads vast amounts of detailed plot in the most effortless of ways and manages to create whole, complex characters in a meager few sentences, elements that demonstrate the fundamental skills for a good writer of short fiction. The prose is simple, easy-going and rich, and one can’t help but feel envious of Jackson’s ability to end this daunting tale so smoothly and perfectly.
Aside from being a tremendous technical achievement this haunting short story is incredibly iconic and positively saturated in satire. It particularly hones in on America’s bewildering desire for tradition and compares these bizarre rituals with the more primitive side of human nature. No matter how hard we try to deny it we are still primal creatures, always prepared to fight for survival – even if the danger is something we bring on ourselves.
The Lottery is an essential piece of literature that is not just for lovers of dystopian fiction but for anyone willing to confront their perception of civilization. This dark, thought-provoking masterpiece is guaranteed to plague you for days…just as a great story should do.
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