Reflecting On Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

“Terrifying Traditions”: Reflecting on ‘The Lottery”
In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” I was able to relate almost immediately. The lottery in surrounding towns had started on June 26th, which happened to be my late aunt’s birthday. My aunt was murdered in 2005 and has had a direct impact on the career choice I dreamed of accomplishing, as a funeral director. Furthermore, I was able to quickly associate this story with an inner passion. Emotion is one of the most important aspects of great literary work. If the reader cannot correlate in some way to the material, it may be difficult to fully comprehend and appreciate the work. In my opinion, behavioral disorders can directly affect the works of an artist. After all, some of the

Old Man Warner, the oldest man in the town, says in the story, “Pack of crazy fools,” he said. ‘Listening to the young folks, nothings good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’d all eating stewed chicken weed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery.” Was it possible this was a tradition used to sacrifice someone, to ensure a great harvest? His choice of words and somewhat condescending tone to the younger generation was strong. He truly believed that this event should be taken

I read her genius novel “Haunting on Hill House” as an adolescent. A novel that directly influenced a few of Stephen Kings masterpieces. Needless to say Jackson has had a large impact to many great mystery and horror novelists. I had related this short story in my mind to one of Kings early short novels, “The Long Walk” which also had to do with a type of lottery the town was forced to partake in, with cheating death being the ultimate trophy. Jackson lived in a very trying era, years of violence and war had taken over the world. The early 20th century was turning point for women in society as well. I have been fascinated by horror literature since I was a young child. A sense of darkness has always been an intriguing foundation on which I have grown to be an artist. Depressive symptoms exhibited by an artist of any medium, be it paint, words, or even dance, brings beauty in such pain. Appreciation of how sadness can fuel creativity, is the true art