Lottery [Paperback]

 

 

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Shirley Jackson, I''m trying to like you--'I really am. The only story I remember reading previous to The Haunting of Hill House, or to this particular collection of short stories, is the title story from this book, The Lottery. I read it for a short story class in university and was disgusted when I reached the end of the story; something that started off sounding so innocent and happy, ultimately ending in the stoning of someone.

Not what I expected.

What I also didn''t expect was what I got when I picked up this book. I thought it would be a good read for the Bout of Books readathon this past October, breaking up the monotony of reading novel after novel. In a way, it was a good book to have on hand, but I felt that the premise of the book that was listed on Amazon or on Goodreads is misleading. The Lottery, the story, is very much a horror-in-disguise kind of story, but the rest of the stories in the book--'save for a couple of them--'are just so so. Nothing too special.

Don't get me wrong--'I do appreciate Jackson''s writing. She can tell so much in such a short story through descriptions and dialogue, and she has such a range of storytelling'--from the seemingly innocent to the truly horrific and weird. Sometimes the point of a story is so subtle that you''ll find the need to go back and reread it to find out what exactly Jackson was trying to say. I found this happening for a few of the stories, the urge to go back and reread. This could be because I read the book in five separate sittings. I''m learning that short stories are best read over a longer period of time, absorbing each story on its own and stopping to really think about them, rather than immediately going onto the next.

If you''re looking for a scary read, this might not be the book for you--'despite what the back of the book may say. If you''re looking for stories exactly like The Lottery, you won''t find too many of them. There may be the odd story to grab your attention, but in the end this is best read a story here, a story there, rather than in one sitting. If you''re looking for true storytelling and a penchant for both the innocent and strange, then this is a collection for you.

Many people are familiar with the story "The Lottery," but it is just one of many incredible vignettes of life filling this collection. It is hard to understand today why "The Lottery" originally provoked such a strong reaction, yet it still packs a punch for first-time readers. While it does have aspects of horror, the remaining stories are basically literary. "Flower Garden" and "After You, My Dear Alphonse" deal with racism and would seem to be pretty bold statements for the time period (the book was published in 1948); the latter story seems particularly groundbreaking because of the unusual perspective it provides. "Charles" is a humorous yet illuminating look at the behavior of children, while "Afternoon in Linen" is an important statement on why children sometimes behave as they do. Jackson is at her best when describing the disenchanted adult. The helplessness of women is an important theme in many stories; many of the women described here feel helpless and subservient to their husbands, their neighbors, and their community. "Elizabeth" is a fairly long study of how one woman's wishes and dreams remain unfulfilled in later life. The housewife in "Got a Letter From Jimmy" is thoroughly exasperated by her husband's feelings, and since she cannot speak her mind to him, she is forced to fantasize about killing him. In "The Villager" a woman spontaneously chooses to become someone else entirely for a few minutes, and most of Jackson's heroines spend much time contemplating what could have been. In "Of Course," the fact that a new family has a few unorthodox views builds an unbreachable wall between brand-new neighbors. The women in these stories are always wondering what other people think about them and worrying about what others will say about them. Even when a group of women try to do something good to help the less fortunate, it backfires on them in "Come Dance With Me in Ireland." When a female character vacations with her husband in New York in "Pillar of Salt," she soon becomes "lost," afraid, and desperate to return home. "Colloquy" is the shortest story in the collection, but its protagonist speaks for most of Jackson's female characters when she asks whether she alone or the whole world has gone insane.

My favorite story here is "The Daemon Lover." Herein, Jackson offers one of the most poignant, touching looks at loneliness, desperation, and fragility I have ever read. In the story, we spend a day with the protagonist as she prepares for her wedding, having become engaged just the night before to a James Harris. It is a depressing yet beautiful story, and I actually rate it higher than "The Lottery." The character of James Harris actually flitters throughout several of these stories, a phantom of sorts haunting several of Jackson's more memorable female characters.

Jackson deals with very serious subjects, and the illumination provided by her unusual perspectives on life is vivid and poignant. When addressing racism, she shows how even an individual with the best of intentions and good will can still represent an unfortunate racist attitude. In speaking to morality and social values, she shows how hard it can be for an individual to go against tradition and the community to do what is right. She offers powerful insights on child (and adult) psychology. Even the couple of stories I did not really "get" offered insight into the living of life. Readers should not expect a book of horror stories when they pick up this book. The stories can be maudlin and even depressing, but they are philosophical, psychological, and sociological rather than creepy or spooky.

"The Lottery" by Shirly Jackson certainly makes a strong impression. It is a distubing tale of the dark side of human nature. I guarantee that once read, this story is not forgotten. I wouldn't recommend it for young children, but definately for more mature readers. It is a must read.

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1.0 out of 5 stars Terribly boring.
No plots, no suspense, no resolutions, no character development. Just anti-climatic, boring stories. Not worth the time to read it.

Published on Dec 17 2009 by Connie

4.0 out of 5 stars Disturbingly Enticing
This story by Shirley Jackson is, as in the title of my review, disturbing yet enticing. It begins with a description of the perfection of this summer day in this small town, and... Read more

Published on May 31 2004 by chicaconchattitude

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best short story collections ever
After being blown away by The Lottery years ago I purchased this book to try some of Ms Jackson's other stories and it was well worth the purchase. Read more

Published on May 9 2004 by Christy Warner

4.0 out of 5 stars Read it for the other stories.
Right, sure, The Lottery, classic, whatever. I'm really not a big fan of the title story in this volume, quite likely because my first exposure to it was through an absolutely... Read more

Published on May 4 2004 by Nick M.

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable Short Story
I first read this short story in highschool and to this day, I still remember it vividly, especially "It isn`t fair, it isn`t right,". Read more

Published on Feb 20 2004 by A. Vegan

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, funny, creepy
I never read the short story "the Lottery" in school or anything, but had it recommended to me by my mum after she heard I loved Ira Levin's "the Stepford Wives". Read more

Published on Jan 18 2004 by sara

3.0 out of 5 stars Lottery - 5 stars, Remainder - 3 stars
I purchased this book on the fact that the Lottery is a great story and extremely eerie. Another reason for purchasing this was the overall high rating for this book by everyone... Read more

Published on Jan 10 2004 by Mark S. Winger

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary
I bought this book as a substitute, Waldenbooks had neither of the books I went there looking for. But on a tip to "check out the literature section for something" I came across... Read more

Published on Mar 30 2003 by A. Kruel

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Expect to Make Sense from This
The stories are chilling and rememberable. However, many of the stories seemed to have no point. "Art for art's sake alone" perhaps, but I felt somewhat empty after... Read more

Published on Feb 6 2003 by SassyOphelia

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have collection
I first picked up this volume because, shocking as it may seem, I'd never actually read Shirley Jackson's landmark story "The Lottery. Read more

Published on Jan 31 2003 by epitone

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