The Lottery (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Shirley Jackson
- First Published: 1948
- Type of Plot: Gothic
- Time of Work: The early twentieth century
- Setting: A small town in New England
- Principal Characters: Tessie Hutchinson, Bill Hutchinson, Mr. Summers, Mr. Graves, Old Man Warner
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction, Domestic realism, Satire, Gothic fiction, Parable, Suspense
- Subjects: Racism, Gender roles, Psychology or psychologists, Marriage, 1940’s, Prejudices or antipathies, Alienation, Manners or customs, Reality, Victims, Small-town life, Human behavior, Rites or ceremonies, Lotteries, Festivals
- Locales: New England
The Story
On a late summer morning, the villagers of a small New England town gather to conduct their annual lottery. There is an air of festivity among them, especially the children. Only a few in the crowd reveal slight hints of tension or unease.
The lottery has a long history in this and surrounding towns. The people who run it—in this town, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves—work hard to preserve the rituals that have been passed down from year to year. Changes have crept in, and some old-timers such as Old Man Warner regret what they perceive as a loss of a heritage...
[The entire page is 1658 words long]
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