Shirley Jackson is one of the all time incredible authors of horror novels. I have reviewed one of her other books here, We Have Aways Lived in the Castle, but The Lottery has always been my favorite novellas.
The Lottery is a story about moral judgement, mob mentality and blind tradition. The people of the town come together every year for a ritual that has been recurring for generations. They no longer know why they do it but they also cannot stop doing it.
No one in the town is strong enough to stand up and stop the tradition though it is an example of the banality of evil. There is the old man named Warner, who has been around the longest who says it doesn't matter if the meaning is lost, he symbolizes blind faith. There is Tessie Hutchinson, who represents both the townspeople, who is happy to participate until she becomes the scapegoat, and then protests the idea.
The men who come with the black box to the center of the town square are Mr Summer and Mr Graves. The names are also so well positioned in this short book, helping to build the suspense of the story.
This story has been challenged and banned but continues to be an impactful story when read and discussed.
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