THE LOTTERY SHORT STORY REVIEW - Love it or hate it,
Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is indelibly etched on the American subconscious.
It’s on every high school and college reading list. When it first appeared in
The New Yorker in June of 1948, the magazine received an onslaught of complaint
letters and subscription cancellations. The reactions were widely varied, from mild
confusion to strong dislike. Since then the story has won just about every
major award, has been adapted into multiple formats (radio, television, film and theater) and is oft cited as one of the best
horror short stories ever written. The author was frequently questioned about its
meaning. Her husband, a literary critic in his own right, stated the following.
“She consistently refused to be interviewed, to explain or promote her work in
any fashion, or to take public stands.” She is also the author of the much
lauded novel, The Haunting of Hill House.