"The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first
published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker. Written
the same month it was published, it is ranked today as "one of
the most famous short stories in the history of American
literature". Response to the story was negative, surprising
Jackson and The New Yorker. Readers canceled subscriptions and
sent hate mail throughout the summer. The story was banned in
the Union of South Africa. Since then, it has been accepted as a
classic American short story, subject to critical
interpretations and media adaptations, and it has been taught in
middle schools and high schools for decades. The morning of June
27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer
day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was
richly green. The people of the village began to gather in the
square, between the post office and the bank, around ten
o'clock; in some towns there were so many people that the
lottery took two days and had to be started on J