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Anyone interested reading and commenting on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson for February?

Can't miss with that one.

I would like to read that one.

Sure.

Roderick wrote: "Great! I will read it again and post about it here in a couple of days...Feel free to comment when you like.

[link snipped]"

Do you have Miss Jackson's permission to share her story? Or is it in the public domain? If the answer to both questions is no, please remove the link.

As a moderator, I don't want to see any member of this group getting in trouble for breach of copyright.

It is worth noting the day the lottery takes place is June 27th.

I looked it up a little, since I think writers don't choose this kind of thing randomly.

The only direct hit I found for 6/27 is it's the day Joe Smith was murdered by a vigilante gang of Freemasons.

It's also close to some pagan ritual days for human sacrifice. That said, it reminds me of The Reaping Day in The Hunger Games.

I'm pretty sure it's public domain since it is coming from an .edu domain, but I can't be sure. The fact that it is easily searchable and retrievable at several other sites is evidence of public domain as well. I'm not sure how to check for sure though. Do you know?

According to her homepage it is still in copyright:

Then it should be removed. Apologies.

Roderick wrote: "Then it should be removed. Apologies."

±áá°ì´Ç²Ô wrote: "According to her homepage it is still in copyright:

"


Thank you both.

Well, I read The Lottery for the first time yesterday and I have to say this is a great short story. Going from the normality of the situation in the beginning, to that ending. Jackson really manages to create a really disturbing society in this story, and with believable characters. I wonder, is the point to show horror in a seemingly normal society or is it something more?

P.J. wrote: "It is worth noting the day the lottery takes place is June 27th.

I looked it up a little, since I think writers don't choose this kind of thing randomly.

The only direct hit I found for 6/27 is it's the day Joe Smith was murdered by a vigilante gang of Freemasons."

That could have been the reason for the date. I suppose it depends on how it came about or why it happened.

Hi Hakon,

You said, "I wonder, is the point to show horror in a seemingly normal society or is it something more?"

I think that's part of it. But it is more in my view. Jackson's story told in a subtle, yet suspenseful style, is trying to challenge tradition. I liked how the surrounding villages had stopped, but theirs stuck to it. I think it is an excellent story on collectivism and groupthink as well. "The Lottery" questions moral character, to realize that just because there is tradition, you shouldn't necessarily follow it.

Did anyone have any thoughts on it?

In The Bible, when people get stoned by their brethren, there is usually a pretext or justification.
The Lottery makes stoning a random blood sacrifice, and shows how sick the mindset of people who would stone another person to death must be.
The awful thing is, no one is innocent. The woman who got stoned would have cheerfully stoned anyone else in the town if she hadn't got the unlucky draw.

Yes, that's it, P.J. No one is innocent. It also shows a big breakdown in the family unit, doesn't it?

I think her idea was to illuminate the horror of violent cultural traditionS, but also their evolution. She brought it front and centre by setting the stage during a peaceful traditional american passtime (town picnic), Where a violent act would be incomprehensible. She made it normal With daylite and children, popcorn and playgrounds. And of course the mention that the Lottery is falling out of favor elsewhere. When we do our horrors in the light of day, we justify it by labeling it "tradition" and decide its best for society. When its done in the dark, its a dirty secret. it happens in the small family nucleus, graduating to cultural normalcy. This is what rebels/terrorist/freedom fighter fight for - The right to their own brand of horror. Her story is just as applicable now. For every step forward a person takes, someone else, somewhere has taken two bAckwards.

Innocense is an illusion. :)

Very true, Jackie, although I would argue that just because it is in the light of day, doesn't necessarily make it tradition. I'm also not sure you can lump a terrorist together with a freedom fighter. But I agree, having this out in the daylight adds a new dimension and her story is ageless as you say.

Jackie wrote: "I think her idea was to illuminate the horror of violent cultural traditionS, but also their evolution. She brought it front and centre by setting the stage during a peaceful traditional american passtime (town picnic), Where a violent act would be incomprehensible. She made it normal With daylite and children, popcorn and playgrounds."

I think this is what makes The Lottery such a strong story, Jackson manages to make this violent event so natural. It is just part of life in this community.

P.J. wrote: "In The Bible, when people get stoned by their brethren, there is usually a pretext or justification."

Maybe the link between that and what is happening in The Lottery is that Jackson is showing a public event where people gather and take part in it. Like you say, no one is innocent.