#8877

Mentioned in 6 episodes

The Lottery

Book • 1948

Shirley Jackson

Written immediately after World War II, 'The Lottery' is a cautionary tale that explores the dangers of blindly following tradition and the dark side of human nature.

The story takes place in a small, unnamed village where the residents gather annually to conduct a lottery that results in the stoning of one of their own.

The narrative highlights the mob mentality and the abandonment of reason as the townspeople participate in this brutal tradition, revealing the underlying themes of communal violence and individual vulnerability.

Mentioned by

Karen Swallow Prior

Chelsey Weber-Smith

Joyce Carol Oates

Thomas Chatterton Williams

Mentioned in 6 episodes

Mentioned by

Sean Fennessey

as a comparison to Stephen King's 'The Long Walk'.

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Mentioned by

Joyce Carol Oates

as an author whose story "The Lottery" she assigned students to write from the perspective of a minor character.

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Mentioned by Cecil Palmer in the context of an HOA doing 'The Lottery' once a month.

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Mentioned by

Marcus Parks

as similar to the premise of Shirley Jackson's book.

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Mentioned by

Johanna Mayer

as a possible reference for the ostracism process in ancient Athens.

Ostracism at the Athenian Agora

Mentioned by

Thomas Chatterton Williams

as a book that profoundly impacted him and his friend.

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Mentioned by

Karen Swallow Prior

as an analogous short story that literalizes communal ritual violence to shock readers.

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Mentioned by Zainab Juma as her perennial favorite short story for its psychological tension and compact impact.

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Mentioned by

Chelsey Weber-Smith

and

Sarah Marshall

when discussing Shirley Jackson's ties to Bennington-area inspiration.

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Mentioned by

Gretchen Rubin

as Shirley Jackson's famous short story illustrating her gothic and unsettling style.

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