When I first heard about this story’s existence I was doing research on how to write a really good horror short story. It seemed like everyone had this classic on their list and I’m ashamed to say, at the time, I had not heard of it. Now, if anyone asks me what story I’d recommend they read first to get a feel for what makes a great horror short story I can’t imagine suggesting anything else.
Written by Shirley Jackson and published in The New Yorker magazine in 1948, a time when the internet wasn’t invented, this story went viral. The New Yorker, as well as Shirley Jackson, received countless letters per day from readers demanding an explanation. Why would they print such a story!
THE PLOT
The story describes a fictional small American community which observes an annual tradition known as “the lottery”, which is intended to ensure a good harvest and purge the town of bad omens. The lottery, its preparations, and its execution are all described in detail, though it is not revealed until the end what actually happens to the person selected by the random lottery.
WHAT MAKES IT KILLER?
A good horror story scares you while you’re reading it. In the moment you are terrified but you can’t stop reading till you find out what happens next. A great horror story, when it’s finished, compels you to discuss it with the first human you encounter. And you hope that they’ve read it to so both of you can marvel in how amazing the story truly was. It keeps you up at night. It makes you think about it hours, even days or weeks later. But most importantly, it makes you pick up a pen (or sit at your computer) and write one just like it. The Lottery is a great horror story.
MORE TO KNOW:
Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (no subscription required).
Shirley Jackson Official Website
Shirley Jackson Wikipedia Page
The Lottery (1996) IMDb Page Starring Kerri Russell
