I had not read any of Shirley Jackson’s work since American Literature class in my sophomore year of high school. I loved the class, the students, the teacher. He was hard but fair and introduced us to America’s poets and playwrights and novelists. I never quite forgave him, however, for Shirley Jackson’s famous short story, “The Lottery”.
I finished most of my homework where homework was always done at our house – at the kitchen table. The October night was cold; a good evening for curling up with a good read before bed.. The assigned short story wasn’t long with enough dialogue that I felt comfortable waiting to read it last. I knew I would need to take notes and remember who the main characters were. Our teacher often gave “pop” quizzes that left no stone unturned.
I snuggled in and started the story, which moved along pleasantly enough about ritual on a warm summer day in a contemporary New England village. Have you read “The Lottery”? You can read it here. I won’t tell you ending in case you are interested, but, I will tell you that I could never forget how it stunned me – and kept me awake long into the night. It stayed with me all these decades.
After all these years, I thought it time to give Ms Jackson another try, so I checked out “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” on audio along with “Winter Garden” to keep me company on my recent trip up to Minnesota. The last week of October, I finally put the CD’s of Jackson’s book into my car player. I finally forgave my American Lit teacher for “The Lottery” as this odd tale told by Merricat Blackwood with her suspicious ways played out along with Uncle Julian’s recollection of the arsenic murders of family members and niece Constance’s trial and acquittal. There is, then, Merricat, a pet name for Mary Katherine, and the things she buries or nails on trees with flights of fantasy and references to poisonous mushrooms – and the endless taunting of the townspeople. It was an engaging book with an underlying evil heard as I drove past old Victorian houses in town, approaching All Hallow’s Eve.
Pulling into our long drive after returning the audio to the library, I stopped at our mailbox where the usual bills, political fliers, holiday catalogues and such tumbled out. There, among the mail, was a large white envelope from the UK. Inside was the Persephone Biannually. Their characteristic bookmark popped out, a few other things, with the catalogue announcing that their 100th book is “The Persephone Book of Short Stories”.
I set the catalogue down in a safe spot while I started our supper and did those sorts of things one does come late afternoon. I made myself a cup of tea and settled into the rich pages of the Biannually. Therein, on page 22 of the 28 page treasure, in bright red letters, was ABOUT ‘THE LOTTERY’ . “The Lottery” is one of the thirty short stories that were chosen for “The Persephone Book of Short Stories”. ABOUT ‘THE LOTTERY‘ is “Shirley Jackson’s “account of the reactions” to the first printing of her story in June of 1948 in The New Yorker magazine. From her own mother to a colleague on the magazine, the reaction was harsh, especially so by the postmaster of the small Vermont town where she lived, who refused to speak to Ms Jackson!
Funny, isn’t it, how these things pop into our lives, as if waiting for the right month, the right week, just the right moment to appear?
Such coincidences keep us on our toes; perhaps there really are more things twixt heaven and earth than we know about.
You have whetted my appetite for this writer. I have not come across her before.
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I’m certainly on my toes now, Friko. If the movie version of either on shows up on tv, I’m going to need bed rest. By the way, I hope you are feeling better, especially after your hospital stay.
Shirley Jackson’s work has been more confined to the States until recently. “The Lottery” was required reading for many of us in the 60’s and 70’s in literature classes. Her work brings chills over what humans are capable of doing. Thanks for visiting, Friko.
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Goosebumps, dear friend. Love, love, love it. 🙂
This story has stayed we me through the years, as well. And to add to the terrible feeling one is left with, during freshman year in college I took a film class in which they showed the B & W film based on it. I remember walking home sick to my stomach and it took a long time to shake the feeling I was left with. Human nature (which I don’t believe is our true nature has a very ugly side to it.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful synchronicity.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It is that sick feeling the story causes, isn’t it? We’ve witnessed something so base and horrible that is hard to shake. I’ve never seen the film, Teresa, and as I mentioned to Friko above, if it should air this weekend I think I will need to take me to bed and hover undercover. I think we have a dark side, like the moon, and must work always to act the better side of our angels.
You are welcome, Teresa.
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This is amazing…. I am having real problems sleeping at the moment, despite recently telling you how I enjoy wallowing in sleeplessness, it is not fun at the moment…too much going through my mind. Anyway, I have taken to listening to the radio long into the night, using earphones so as not to disturb Mark. Two nights ago, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” was the book at midnight reading on BBC radio 4. I had never read it, in fact, I have to admit to never having heard of Shirley Jackson. It was such a disturbing and powerful story, and it certainly did not help me get to sleep….but I have to admit that I “appreciated” its power, and was fascinated by it. I mentioned it to Mark the next day, and thought about exploring some more of her writing…and then forgot about it…..until now. What a word synchronicity is eh ? Jx
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Oh, goodness, Janice, this is amazing synchronicity; me here, you there, an ocean in between, both having a bit of a Shirley Jackson experience at about the same time. I don’t imagine it was at all restful for you to hear at midnight, but, if anything can be said it did turn your thoughts from the heaviness on your mind for a short while. I appreciate the way hearing a story can take us to another place, at least for awhile. You might try to find “We’ve Always Lived in the Castle” on audio. The copy I had was 5 CD’s, not very long. I listen in the car and found myself going out on errands just to listen some more. It isn’t as powerful as the “The Lottery”, but should keep you entranced for a bit, especially at night. (I wish we had BBC radio 4 here).
“The Lottery” was required reading for many of us in the ’60s and ’70s here in the States. It has all the elements of a good short story, ad makes for wonderful discussion.
My thoughts are with you, Janice. Feel free to email me anytime. Penny
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I remembered the essence of the story but had to reread to get the details. It is interesting to hear about your synchronicity. It is a haunting story and I will look for We Have Always Lived In The Castle. I hope I have the courage to read that after the chilling Lottery. By the way, doesn’t it remind you of the lottery in The Hunger Games?
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It is the impact of the ending that we all remember, isn’t it? That haunting feeling it leaves us with. “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” isn’t quite as chilling and there are bits and clues here and there that hint at the ending. Still, it is a good read. I especially enjoyed it, no, maybe appreciated is a better word, on audio.
Yes, it does remind me of The Hunger Games, Janet. I’m glad you brought it up. I actually included it as I was writing this post, but, this got so long I took it out. As soon as I read about the lottery at the beginning of Hunger Games, Jackson’s short story came to mind.
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Janet’s comment about the Hunger Games is absolutely right. In fact, I realise that having listened to the Shirley Jackson tale late at night, when trying to fall asleep, and having been “forced” to watch the Hunger Games with my daughter a few nights previously, I now have them muddled in my mind. J.
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It’s an interesting comparison, isn’t it? I haven’t seen the movie yet of The Hunger Games, still finishing the trilogy, but hear it is a good adaptation to the book. It is that scene of a lottery taking place and sacrifice that is so disturbing and the way it plays out in both writings; commonplace, like going to the store.
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I will have to look these up, Penny. One of my friends gave me two books of short stories yesterday. Usually, I don’t like short stories and seldom read them (unless they’re blog posts.) But, it sounds like The Lottery might be right up my alley. 🙂
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Oh, Andra, you should read “The Lottery”. I included a link in the third paragraph where you can read it online. It is short, the “voices” of the characters are real, and the ending is what leaves me still haunted more than 40 years later.
That’s an interesting comment on short stories and blog posts. As I think about it, many posts really are short stories. Maybe it is something I thirst for and don’t realize I do. I enjoy reading your series and watching your characters develop, hearing their voices. I hope you can read some of the short stories in the books you received. I think there will be some you will enjoy, Andra.
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I’m another who has never heard of Shirley Jackson, Penny, so I’ve now bookmarked your link to read in bright daylight tomorrow. I have a vivid enough imagination not to want to read it before bedtime….
The examples you and Janice give of synchronicity are spooky enough for this wimp this evening. 🙂
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Daylight is a much better time to read it, Perpetua. It’s not scary, just very disturbing, most especially for me at the age I first read it – 15. I don’t know that a 15 year would be as troubled by it these days.
Pretty synchronatic (notic?) isn’t it?
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I’ve just read it, Penny, and I see just what you mean. It has echoes of ancient myth and ritual and the images will certainly linger…..
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It does have that lingering effect, Perpetua, and certainly had an impact on me as a young girl. Thank you for letting me know you read it.
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Dear Penny, as you responded to Perpetua, “The Lottery” is not so scary, but it is deeply disturbing. Like yourself and others who commented, I still vividly remember the story from reading it when I was a sophomore. The other disturbing book that I read when I was teaching high schoolers as a nun was “The Lord of the Flies.” Neither the short story nor the novel is the forgettable. And I’m sure I’ll never watch the movies made about them. Peace.
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I think this story and “The Lord of the Flies”, which had a similar impact on me as it did you, were more shocking in their lessons than now. “The Lord of the Flies” must have provoked some interesting discussion from your high school students. That book was disturbing to me as well, Dee. I did see a movie of it and, while unsettling, the book was more troubling to me for the images my own mind produced.
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What an absorbing author she must be! ANd what a coincidence that The Lottery popped up…I have never read it. Wish me luck. I am off to do so now.
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Kate, Janice Whelan commented above that she listened to “The Lottery” last week on BBC radio 4. You might try that if you can’t find it elsewhere. Good luck.
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Oh yes. ‘The Lottery’ was chilling; ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ was fascinating. But for my money, Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ will always be the one that gives me shudders and nightmares. The 1963 movie version kept me awake for many a night.
On a lighter note, Ms. Jackson wrote two fictionalized memoirs of sorts, ‘Life Among the Savages’ and ‘Raising Demons’, about her efforts at housekeeping and raising four children. ‘Life’ is available, but ‘Raising Demons’ is out of print.
I think I will stick with her domestic chaos stories and leave the creepy ones alone.
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I think I might try “The Haunting of Hill House” some time, Belle. The characters in “We hHave Always Lived in the Castle: are so interesting, especially Merricat, and the villagers are cruel. It was a good experience for me to listen to it being read.
She was an interesting woman, from what I’ve read about her, and Ms Jackson died rather young. So sad. Her memoirs sound interesting. If you can find a copy of her account of the reactions in the New Yorker, you might find it rather interesting.
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I got so excited reading this post, Penny! Yes, indeed, I know The Lottery! I had a similar experience in that reading it in high school I never forgot it. Several years ago now I bought a small anthology that contains maybe three or four of Jackson’s works, and I bought it intentionally because I wanted to read The Lottery again. Through the years I’ve mentioned The Lottery while referencing a social situation where perhaps the reference is applicable in my mind, and I’m always surprised at how often friends don’t know of it. I see that Andra is thinking of reading it, and it is surely up her alley! I’ve read “Haunting…” but not the others. You have me really wanting to the “Castle..” and I will soon. I’m also interested in the Persephone materials. I’m not familiar but I’m going to google it and see what I can find! 🙂 This was just delicious…I get goosebumps just thinking about The Lottery….I really do!
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I’ve also been surprised at how many of my friends haven’t read “The Lottery”, Debra. I’ve mentioned it in discussing “The Hunger Games” and have met with similar reactions. What I do know is that those who read “The Lottery” remember the ending and how they felt. Goosebumps is a good way to explain it. Teresa used the same word and it works.
Persephone has been publishing/reissuing forgotten novels by female writers. Several book blogs I read often reference Persephone, which aroused my curiosity. I love the catalogue for its beauty and quality and hope to acquire a few of the books some time. If you click the link in the post, you should get a feel for what they are about.
It has been interesting reading everyone’s comments about this. Imagine, such a short story and the impact it had.
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I’ve certainly never forgotten that story! Didn’t know about the story about the story though and I’d like to read that. In fact, I think I’ll read the original again — it’s been a long time — even though I sure haven’t forgotten the ending, I think I’d like to read the whole thing with ‘more mature’ eyes.
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There is a link in the third paragraph of the post, Sallie. Just click it and you can read the story online. I reread it before writing the post and it had the same impact on my own mature eyes, though I had forgotten the names of the townspeople, the details, etc.
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I enjoyed this book review and, like you, I also was haunted by “The Lottery” for years. I didn’t read it until I was in college and from then on the town of DeKalb reminded me of that story! I can just imagine how the author’s small town neighbors and the postmaster would have taken it a bit personally!
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That’s interesting, Janet. I don’t think many of us got through our education in the 60’s and 70’s without “The Lottery” being required reading. I wonder of readers today would find it as disturbing. I think you and I had discussed how “The Hunger Games” brought “The Lottery” to mind.
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Whose painting is the one you posted at the top of your story? 🙂
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The artist was Sir Samuel Henry William Llewellyn, 1858-1941. The title of the painting is Girl with Pigtails.
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