In June 1948, readers of The New Yorker magazine were confronted by one of the most disturbing short stories of the 20th century. The Lottery, written by a young writer named Shirley Jackson opens with a description of a deceptively idyllic rural community.
It is a “clear and sunny” morning in June, and villagers cheerfully gather in their local square for the annual drawing of lots from which no one can be excluded. The story climaxes with an unforgettable act of violence which is all the more shocking because it is merely a matter of tradition.
