The Lottery

by Shirley Jackson · 1948

The Lottery follows the residents of a small American town as they gather on a bright June morning for the community’s annual lottery. Though the event is presented as a festive tradition, the story reveals a chilling ritual in which one family is selected to be stoned to death. First published in The New Yorker in 1948, Jackson’s tale quickly became one of the most famous and controversial short stories in American literature, provoking intense reader reaction and inspiring numerous adaptations for stage, television, radio, and film.