The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• The author
– Born in San Francisco in 1916
– Jackson intended, as “a sensitive and faithful anatomy
of our times, fitting symbols for our distressing world
of the concentration camp and the Bomb”, to mirror
humanity’s Cold War-era fears. Jackson may even have
taken pleasure in the subversive impact of her work,
as evidenced by Hyman’s statement that she “was
always proud that the Union of South Africa banned
‘The Lottery,’ and she felt that they at least
understood the story”.
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• The author
– “Explaining just what I had hoped the story to say
is very difficult. I suppose, I hoped, by setting a
particularly brutal ancient rite in the present and
in my own village to shock the story's readers with
a graphic dramatization of the pointless violence
and general inhumanity in their own lives.”
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Background
– First published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New
Yorker. Written the same month it was published, it is
ranked today as “one of the most famous short stories
in the history of American literature”. It has been
described as “a chilling tale of conformity gone mad.”
– The story was banned in the Union of South Africa.
Since then, it has been accepted as a classic American
short story, subject to critical interpretations and
media adaptations.
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Setting
– It takes place on the morning of June 27th, a sunny
and pleasant summer day, in the village square of a
town of about three hundred people. The setting is
described as tranquil and peaceful, with children
playing and adults talking about everyday concerns.
This seemingly normal and happy setting contrasts
greatly with the brutal reality of the lottery. Few clues
are given to a specific time and place in the story, a
technique used to emphasize the fact that such
brutality can take place in any time or in any place.
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Major Characters
– Bobby Martin: Boy who loads his pockets with
stones that he will use after townspeople
draw lottery numbers. He also helps build a pile of
stones
– Baxter Martin: Older brother of Bobby Martin
– Harry Jones: Boy who joins Bobby Martin in
building the pile of stones
– Dickie Delacroix: Boy who joins Bobby Martin and
Harry Jones in building the pile of stones
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Major Characters
– Mr. Martin: Bobby Martin's father. He operates
a grocery store
– Mrs. Martin: Wife of Mr. Martin
– Joe Summers: Coal dealer who conducts the
lottery. He has no children
– Mr. Summers's Wife: Shrewish woman
– Mr. Graves: Postmaster. He assists Mr. Summers
– Mrs. Graves: Wife of the postmaster
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Major Characters
– Old Man Warner: Oldest man in town
– Tessie Hutchinson: Woman who arrives late for
the lottery
– Bill Hutchinson: Husband of Mrs. Hutchinson
– Bill Jr., Nancy, Little Dave: Children of Mr. and Mrs.
Hutchinson
– School Friends of Nancy Hutchinson
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Themes
– The reluctance of people to reject outdated traditions,
ideas, rules, laws, and practices
– Society wrongfully designates scapegoats to bear the
sins of the community
– The wickedness of ordinary people can be just as
horrifying as the heinous crime of a serial killer or a
sadistic head of state
– The unexamined life is not worth living
– Following the crowd can have disastrous
consequences
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Symbols
– The lottery: Barbaric tradition or practice; any
foolhardy tradition that a community refuses to
give up; the risks of daily living
– The black box: Evil or death, suggested by the
color of the box; outdated tradition
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Symbols
– Boys gathering stones and pebbles:
Indoctrination or brainwashing that is passed on
from one generation to the next
– Old Man Warner: Anyone who warns others not
to change; hidebound traditionalist; Luddite;
obstructionist
– Mr. Summers: The appearance of normalcy and
cheerfulness hiding evil and corruption
– Bill and Davy Hutchinson: Betrayers
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Irony
– The word lottery suggests that the villagers are going
to draw for a prize.
– The sunny day suggests that a happy event is about to
take place.
– When Old Man Warner hears that the north village is
considering ending the lottery, he says, “Next thing
you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in
caves.” (The lottery is as savage and barbaric a ritual
as any practiced by cave dwellers.)
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Dramatizations
– 1951 radio version
– 1969 film: Larry Yust’s short film, The Lottery (1969),
produced as part of Encyclopædia Britannica’s “Short
Story Showcase” series, was ranked by the Academic
Film Archive “as one of the two bestselling
educational films ever.”
– 1996 TV film: Anthony Spinner’s feature-length TV
film, The Lottery, which premiered September 29,
1996, on NBC, is a sequel loosely based on the original
Shirley Jackson story.
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
• Further readings
– Novels
• The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962)
– Short stories
• “After You, My Dear Alphonse” (1943)
• “Charles” (1948)
• “The Witch” (1949)