This month’s first recommendation is a dystopian story from a staple name in the genre of horror; ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson. Mainly known for her six novels, Jackson also penned 200 short stories in her lifetime, with her most well known one being this one. This story was also coincidentally originally published in the New Yorker, in June 1948. (2/3 of my last recommendations were also New Yorker stories.)
Interesting Fact: Upon it’s release it caused a backlash of negative reviews, people cancelled their subscriptions to the New Yorker and Jackson received a load of hate mail.
Synopsis: In a small unnamed village of roughly 300 residents gather for the yearly lottery. The lottery is done to bring good harvests and cast out bad omens for the year. The story details the process of the lottery, how it is done and why. But what is in store for the drawn individual isn’t discovered until the very end.
Review: Through the interactions of the characters ‘The Lottery’ not only explores each character’s own psychology , but also the social dynamics of the village as a whole. Some of the villagers are very casual about the lottery and clearly not nervous , while others are clearly unsettled. Some of the villagers go from being seemingly friendly to easily turning on each other. It does make you reflect and question how desperation would influence how you yourself would act if you were involved in something like this. We all like to think we would act with decorum, and never turn on someone we love. But how well do you really know those we love, those we live with, or living next to? ‘
10/10
Megan Layley 
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