My Personal Review
When I was reading the Lottery, for the first few sentences, I felt like it was going to be a story about a boring town meeting. As the story progressed, I was more and more intrigued by this vague and ominous lottery event. The feelings of distress as the townspeople got picked only urged me to read more, wanting to know the result of the lottery. When the Hutchinson got picked, and Mrs. Hutchinson "won" the lottery, I was shocked by the actions of the townspeople.
Of all the short stories I've read, The Lottery is by far the most ominous, suspenseful, and surprising one. I loved it all from start to finish. From the innocent and petty town meeting, to the do-or-die atmosphere of The Lottery. What I found most interesting, was the "tradition" of the lottery. Shirley Jackson really pulls upon the evils of the everyday person. The townspeople were so laid back and accepting of the lottery, although they should have seen that stoning someone was morally wrong. Shirley Jackson stresses the importance of keeping true to your conscience.
