The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, written in the month of its first publication, in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker.[1] The story describes a small town which observes — as do many other communities, both large and small, throughout contemporary America — an annual ritual known as "the lottery." It has been described as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature."[2]
The initially negative response to the story surprised both Jackson and The New Yorker. Readers canceled subscriptions and sent hate mail throughout the summer.[3] The Union of South Africa banned the story.[4]