I had no idea there was a film version. It was scary enough when Mrs. Yandle read the story aloud to us in the 8th grade; I don't think I could handle the film.

Shirley Jackson on the first readers' responses:

The general tone of the early letters, however, was a kind of wide-eyed, shocked innocence. People at first were not so much concerned with what the story meant; what they wanted to know was where these lotteries were held, and whether they could go there and watch.

Jackson is one of the few writers I can think of where just remembering a phrase can bring back every chill from the story - "it's not fair"

The version I remember featured Dan Cortese. Yes, the MTV VJ. And killer.

I was aware of The Lottery, but I'm not sure I had ever read or watched it before today. So creepy.

I don't remember this being read in school, or seen. But there is something familiar about it. It's funny, that's direct democracy, right there. Maybe this story should be more out and about these days.

People at first were not so much concerned with what the story meant; what they wanted to know was where these lotteries were held, and whether they could go there and watch.

I've read this before, and it is this that appalls me much more than the story itself. Which I don't like.

Do you know that the protagonist of the Lottery Tessie Hutchinson is based on the historical person Anne Hutchinson who fought for religious and social freedom for all, not just the Puritans? Together with Roger Williams she helped found Providence, Rhode Island which was the first place In the British colonies to grant religious freedom to people of all faiths. A highway in New York is named the Hutchinson River Parkway after her.
Anne Jackson wrote this story after World War iI to protest the idea that people must be sacrificed for the good of the state which is what happened In Germany during the war. Another story with the same theme is The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursala Leguin.